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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Shelf ..£_£?/ f- 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



OUR TRAVELLING PARTY 



IN 



PARIS AND AMSTERDAM 






BY iS 

DANIEL C. EDDY. 



ILLUSTRATED. 




BOSTON 



D. LOTHROP & COMPANY, 

FRANKLIN ST., CORNER OF HAWLEY. 



6^ 



\« 



\the library Ij 

OF C ONGR ESS 
WASHINGTON 



COPYRIGHT 

1882, 

By DANIEL C. EDDY. 



PlilNTF.D BY 
G. W. STL'DLEY 4 CO. 



ELECTROTYPED AT THE 
BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY. 



NOTE. 

The author is pleased to find that the first two 
numbers of this series of books meet with an appre- 
ciation beyond his expectations. 

The next number — " The Baltic to Vesuvius " 
— will take our travellers through the countries of 
Central Europe, into Italy. They will spend the 
winter in Rome, and journey northward in the early 
spring, meeting the storm of battle on the plains of 
Lombardy in midsummer. 

(71 



CONTENTS. 



CHAP. PAGE 

I. Landing at Calais 11 

II. Paris from the Triumphal Arch 23 

HE. Ride along the Boulevards 39 

IV. From the Morgue to Pere la Chaise. . . 59 

V. Glimpses at French Royalty 75 

VI. Paris by Sun Light and Gas Light. ... 95 

VH. Three Ways for Sunday 121 

Vm. Versailles and the Country 135 

IX. The Belgic Capital 149 

X. The Field of" Waterloo 162 

XI. Views from Antwerp Steeple 183 

XH. Fun in Rotterdam . 204 

XHI. Mementos of the Pilgrims . 223 

XIV. The City on Legs 241 

(8) 



ENGRAVINGS. 



PAGl 

The Gates of Delft 2 

John Robinson's Prayer 10 

Paris under Ground 47 

The Presentation 91 

Scene on the Boulevards 107 

The New Depot 137 

The Cathedral of Brussels 157 

The Church. 213 

Delft-haven. . 226 

Pilgrim Costume 247 

The Dutchman Fishing 255 

(9) 




JOHN ROBINSON'S PRAYER. 



PAEIS TO AMSTERDAM. 



Chapter I. 

LANDING AT CALAIS. 

IN England the American traveller feels at 
home. The people speak a language with 
which he is familiar ; the habits and customs, 
the religious observances, the social develop- 
ments, resemble the styles of life seen in his 
own land. His sympathies move on with the 
steady march of English ideas, and constantly 
he finds something to remind him of the great 
nation on the other shore of the broad At- 
lantic. 

But when he crosses that narrow channel, and 
steps out upon the continent, he feels that he is 
among strange people, in a land of strange cus- 
toms. The language of the inhabitants is un- 
intelligible jargon ; the form of government is 
repulsive to his republican prejudices ; the fea- 
tures of common life differ widely from any thing 

CH) 



12 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

he sees at home, and he is ever conscious that 
he is a stranger in a strange land. 

Thus it was with the travellers whom we have 
followed across the Atlantic, through Ireland, 
Scotland, and England. The gentlemen were 
but imperfectly acquainted with the French lan- 
guage ; Walter had studied it but a single term, 
while little Minnie could not understand a word 
of it. 

They reached Calais late at night, and be- 
neath a cloudy, moonless sky, stumbled ashore, 
Mr. Tenant holding Walter firmly by the hand, 
and Mr. Percy taking care of Minnie. At the 
landing they met several soldiers, and five or six 
armed policemen ; one of whom shouted hoarsely 
as our friends came up, — 

" Passports ! passports ! passports ! " 

" What does he want, pa?" asked Minnie. 

" He wants our passports." 

" What for ? " 

" To examine them, to see who we are, where 
we are from, and what we want." 

So Mr. Percy took charge of the children, and 
Mr. Tenant went with the passports into a large 
room, where several men were sitting with piles 
of papers before them. They examined the doc- 
uments very hastily, and gave them back again ; 
and the party passed through the building, 



LANDING AT CALAIS. 13 

00^0° 

which in the darkness of the night they could 
not inspect, not knowing whether it was a police 
office, custom house, or depot, and found the 
cars on the other side, and were soon on their 
way for Paris. 

The cars were very comfortable, and our trav- 
ellers were able to get asleep. They had a whole 
carriage to themselves, and as the seats were 
sumptuously cushioned, and the road a very 
smooth one, they were as much refreshed as if 
they had been in a hotel. Minnie was the first 
one to awake ; and as she rubbed her eyes, she 
said, with a yawn, — 

"I say, Walter." 

"What?" 

" It is morning." 

"Well — yes." 

" We ought not to lose our views of the coun- 
try," said Mr. Percy, letting down the window 
near him, and looking out. 

" We have all slept soundly in this car, w^hich 
is fitted up with as much elegance as a lady's 
boudoir," remarked Mr. Tenant, who was gazing 
about. 

They conversed in an easy, desultory manner 
for some time, riding by villages, near vine- 
yards, and along through a fine country, rarely 
making any stops. As the day advanced, 



14 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

the party felt the need of refreshments, and 
Walter said, — 

" The first depot we come to, I will get some- 
thing to eat, if the cars stop." 

" We would hardly trust you out of our 
sight," replied his father. 

" You would want a valet-de-place to help 
you buy your breakfast, Walter," said Mr. 
Tenant. 

" A Y&letr&e-place ! What is that ? " cried 
Minnie. 

" Walter will tell you." 

" Well, Walter, what is it ? " 

"A servant, I believe. But I should not 
need him. Pa, shall I try when we stop 
again ? " 

" Try what ? " 

" To purchase some refreshments ? " 

" Yes, my son, if you will keep within sight 
of us." 

" All right, sir." 

Just then the cars stopped at a place about 
fifty miles from Paris, and Walter sprang out, 
and hurried into the depot, and soon returned, 
bringing in a piece of paper a number of sand- 
wiches, French sausages, and other specimens 
of French cookery. 



LANDING AT CALAIS. 15 

" How did you make the change, Walter ? " 
asked his father. 

" Why, I gave him some English money, and 
he would not take it. Then I took out the five 
franc piece you gave me yesterday, and let him 
make his own change." 

" Have you the right change back ? " 

"I don't know." 

" A pretty boy to buy things. I'll try next 
time," shouted Minnie. 

" Well, he gave me some small pieces, and 1 
did not know what they were, and so hurried 
back as quickly as I could." 

" Well, let us see what you have got," said 
Mr. Tenant. 

So Walter displayed the articles he had 
bought, and soon they had made a hearty 
breakfast. The conversation turned on French 
cookery, and Minnie declared that she should 
be delighted with it, and indeed with every 
thing French. 

" Ah, Min, you will not know what you do 
eat over here — whether frogs or dogs," said 
Walter. 

" Hum ! frogs and dogs ! " 

" Well, I have heard of the delightful manner 
in which French cooks serve up dogs, cats, and 
frogs, so that the most experienced will hardly 



16 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

^o^oc 

distinguish them from the choicest dishes ever 
craved by the appetite of the epicure.'' 

" Nonsense ! ain't it, Mr. Tenant ? " 

" I do not know, child, how it is here ; but I 
have heard the story of a distinguished Ameri- 
can, who, in China, sat down to a sumptuous 
feast, and ate voraciously of a delicate dish 
which was set before him. When his dainty 
meal was finished, and he sat wondering what 
the food could be which had tempted his appe- 
tite to such an extent, a servant entered, and, 
wishing to have his curiosity gratified, and yet 
being entirely unacquainted with the language, 
he pointed to the dish, and said, ' Quack, quack,' 
meaning to ask if it was duck. The servant re- 
plied, ' Bow wow, bow wow,' intimating that the 
delicious food was not duck, but dog." 

Just at that moment Minnie had a sandwich 
to her lips, and with an exclamation of disgust, 
she threw it out of the window, much to the 
amusement of her friends, who teased her a lit- 
tle for her admiration of French cookery. 

" Minnie," said her father, " what we eat is 
much a matter of taste." 

" How so, pa ? " 

"Why, we laugh at the French for eating 
frogs — " 

" Ugh ! " 



LANDING AT CALAIS. 17 

" Yet we eat many things not as delicious." 

" Delicious ! How you talk ! " 

" Have you ever tasted turtle soup, Minnie ? " 

" 0, yes, many a time." 

" And how do you know the frog is not as 
good ? and as clean ? " 

" Well, I declare ! " 

" In some countries dogs are eaten, and we 
think it very disgusting ; yet we kill the filthy 
hog, and deem his flesh excellent." 

" I am glad frog is not my taste." 

" And who can say that your taste is better 
than that of the dog-eating Russian, or the frog- 
eating Frenchman ? " 

" I don't know, pa, but I wish Mr. Tenant 
would help me argue it." 

A hearty laugh greeted the little girl, who 
felt some disposition to pout, but wisely con- 
cluded to laugh with the rest, at her own dis- 
comfiture. 

" But, pa," said she, " this conversation an- 
noys me — talking about frogs and dogs for 
food ! " 

" I know it does, my dear child ; and I in- 
troduced it for a special reason." 

" What was it ? " 

" I wished to show you that many things are 
mere matters of taste. You are now in a strange 

VOL. III. 2 



18 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

country, and will see many strange and unusual 
things. Your first impulse will be to condemn 
them because you have never seen them before. 
I wished to impress upon you the idea, that in 
much you will see, the difference is not so greatly 
in your own favor." 

" I will think of that." 

"Do so, and remember that you must not 
condemn what you see because it does not ac- 
cord with your taste. Perhaps the taste of the 
people around you is best, after all ; and you 
should be thoughtful ere you venture your opin- 
ion in condemnation." 

" Thank you, pa, for the caution. I will 
endeavor to look at things on both sides." 

The forenoon was half gone when the train 
reached Paris. The baggage of our travellers, 
which had been ticketed through from London, 
and thus escaped an examination at Calais, was 
here overhauled. A very civil, polite officer 
asked the children to unlock their bags, which 
they did, and he merely laid his hand upon the 
top, and passed on. The two gentlemen were 
not so fortunate, for a consequential personage 
persisted in taking out their clothing, and un- 
rolling the packages, at which they were quite 
indignant, as the operation seemed to be un- 
necessary. 



LANDING AT CALAIS. 19 

On entering a carriage, they drove to Hotel 
Meurice, in Rue de Rivoli, and were soon ac- 
commodated with a suit of elegant and spacious 
apartments, overlooking the garden of the Tui- 
leries. Minnie's room opened into her father's, 
and Walter's into that of Mr. Tenant ; and the 
view from all of them was very pleasant. 

A little circumstance occurred just after their 
arrival which amused them very much. Break- 
fast was ordered, though it was late in the fore- 
noon ; and Minnie, who completed her toilet 
before the others, ran down before them. The 
building being very large, the windings numer- 
ous, and the passages long, she lost her way, and 
became somewhat bewildered, until she could 
not tell where to go. At length a very fine- 
looking gentleman came along the passage, and 
she appealed to him. 

" Sir, can you tell me the way to the dining 
room ? " 

The man looked at her in astonishment. 

" Monsieur, (sir,) I mean, where is the — the 
dejeuner (breakfast) room ? " 

The man smiled, and shook his head. 

" Can't you understand me ? " 

The man shook his head. 

Minnie thought again for some French word 
that she had heard Walter repeat, and then 



20 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

stammered out, " La table, monsieur ? " (the 
table, sir.) 

The man shook his head again ; and finally, 
seeing her look at his jewelled watch chain, 
pulled out his watch, and thinking she might 
wish to know the hour, said, — 

" 11 est midi" (it is twelve o'clock.) 

"Hum! Stupid!" said the child to her- 
self. 

Just now Walter came along, and relieved 
Minnie of her embarrassment, by asking, very 
properly and in tolerable French, the way to the 
dining room, which they soon found, Walter in- 
dulging in a pleasant, good-natured laugh at 
Minnie's use of the language of which she 
scarcely knew a word. 

When they were seated at the table, they 
found that the servants could all speak English, 
that the food was cooked in English style, and 
that the house had every appearance of an Eng- 
lish hotel. This made them feel at home, and 
their anticipations of a delightful time increased 
as the day wore on. 

The children were amused with every thing 
they saw. The streets, the people, the houses, 
were all so different from those seen in London, 
that they could not restrain their exclamations 
of pleasure and surprise. As they sat at their 



LANDING AT CALAIS. 21 

ooj^oo 

windows, they saw crowds of people on the side- 
walks below ; soldiers were marching along the 
streets ; the gendarmes were standing on the 
corners, or moving about among the masses ; 
the garden of the Tuileries across the street 
was thronged with happy men, women, and chil- 
dren, who were lounging on seats, walking under 
the trees, drinking beer at the stands, or engaged 
in some kinds of amusement. 

Walter and his sister did not go out that 
evening, but rested for the work before them 
on the following days. They spent the evening 
in writing letters to friends at home. Walter 
penned a long letter to his mother, in which he 
told her all he had seen since he last wrote, 
what adventures he had met, what curious inci- 
dents had transpired, and all the news he could 
think of. Minnie wrote to Charlie a very curi- 
ous letter, full of fun and nonsense, just like 
herself, over which Charlie doubtless had many 
a laugh when he read it. 

They also found letters for them at the hotel, 
from home ; and that well-known handwriting, 
from that dear mother, was read again and 
again, blotted with tears, and finally kissed, 
as a precious memento of fond maternal love. 
That night they slept sweetly — those honest, 
truthful, intelligent children, across whose young 



22 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

lives no shadow had ever yet fallen, and whose 
guileless hearts knew no great and sorrowing 
sin, and who, though young, trusted devoutly 
in the great God, whom they daily addressed — 
" Our Father, who art in heaven." 

How beautiful the trusting confidence of chil- 
dren who can lie down to sleep, dreaming of no 
injury or danger, because they meditate no in- 
jury to others ! no visions but happy ones flit- 
ting through the night-watch, because they only 
think of ministering to the happiness of others. 
The more we come in contact with the heartless 
world, its great wrongs, its amazing sorrows, 
its corroding cares, the more do we lose what 
always we might wish to keep — the trust and 
unsuspecting confidence of childhood. 




VIEW OF PARIS. 23 



Chapter II. 

PARIS FROM THE TRIUMPHAL ARCH. 

I^HE morning after their arrival in Paris, 
- Walter, rushing into his father's room be- 
fore sunrise, cried out, " Bon jour, Monsieur ," 
(good morning, sir.) 

" Good morning, my son." 

" I have ordered breakfast, and a carriage, — 
got a guide, and helped Mr. Tenant mark out 
the work for the day." 

" Very well ; I am glad of it." 

" And my opinion was not consulted," cried 
Minnie, from the room adjoining. 

" Of course not." 

" Why not ? " 

" We set you down as a child, who had no 
opinion." 

u Hoity, toity ! No opinion, indeed ! We'll 
see ! " 

" Where do you propose to go first, my son ?" 
asked Mr. Percy. 

" Mr. Tenant thinks we had better take a 
view of the city from the Triumphal Arch." 



24 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

90^00 

" That would be wise." 

So after breakfast they all left the hotel, and, 
passing along Rue cle Rivoli, entered Place de 
la Concorde, famous in the history of Paris. 

" 0, what a beautiful place ! " cried Minnie, 
in delight. 

" See those fine fountains, pa, and that pillar, 
and those statues. I never saw so lovely a 
spot ! " said Walter. 

" What is that pillar, pa, that Walter is run- 
ning up to ? " asked Minnie, seeing Walter 
direct his steps towards the column to which 
she pointed. 

"That," replied Mr. Percy, "is the Luxor 
Obelisk, an Egyptian shaft, at least three thou- 
sand years old, and which is covered with un- 
read Egyptian characters. It was brought from 
Egypt during the reign of Louis Philippe." 

" What are those great drawings I see on the 
base ? " 

" Those are engravings and diagrams of the 
machine by which it was raised to its present 
elevation." 

" Was it much trouble to raise it ? " 

" Yes, it was a great work, and it is said that 
t!ie engineer who had charge of the work felt 
the most extreme solicitude as to his success ; 
and as thousands gathered to see the obelisk rise 



VIEW OF PARIS. 25 

to its position, he moved among them with a 
charged pistol protruding from his vest, with 
which he had determined to commit suicide, 
if, by any accident, he should fail in his at- 
tempt." 

" He must have been a foolish man to have 
meditated such a dreadful deed as that." 

" Yes, a man must be dreadfully blinded, to 
commit suicide." 

" How nobly it looks in the centre here ! " 

"It is in a very showy position, and stands 
where the guillotine stood in the time of the 
revolution, and where the wretched Louis XVI. 
and Marie Antoinette, and their unfortunate 
friends, met a dreadful fate." 

" Please tell me about it, pa." 

" The story is a long one, my child, and you 
must read it for yourself." 

" Just enough for me to understand about 
these things." 

" Well, Louis XVI. was king of France, and 
Marie Antoinette was his queen." 

" Who was she ? " 

" She was the daughter of Francis I., Emperor 
of Germany, and Maria Theresa, his wife. She 
was married to the King of France, and in the 
revolution was executed on this spot, her hus- 
band having been executed previously." 



26 THE PERCY FAMILY, 

" Was she a good woman ? " 

" Much too good for such a fate." 

" Why did they kill her then ? " 

" Because the people thought she had influ- 
enced her husband to oppress them." 

" Was it not a dreadful fate ? " 

" Yes, the beautiful queen was confined in the 
Conciergerie, where in a few weeks her head 
became prematurely gray, and — " 

" What is the Conciergerie ? " 

" It consisted of a series of subterranean dun- 
geons. The queen was taken from this horrid 
prison, and executed, October 14, 1793. She was 
carried to the place on a cart rude in structure, 
and hard to ride in. As she rode along, many 
of the women of Paris gathered around the cart, 
and reviled the fallen queen, crying out, l Down 
with the Austrian ! down with royalty ! ' As 
the poor creature was thrown about in the cart, 
unable to stand or sit, the wretches shouted in 
merriment. At length they arrived at this spot, 
just where they had killed her husband." 

" Was she calm ? " 

" Yes ; so it is said." 

" How could she be ? " 

" Sometimes people who are naturally very 
timid have fortitude in times of such severe 
trial." 



VIEW OF PARIS. 27 

oo^oo 

"Well, goon." 

" There is but little more. She was taken 
from the cart to the scaffold, bound to the 
plank, and the axe descended. The head dropped 
into a basket placed for it, and the executioner 
caught it up, and held it aloft, while the people 
shouted coarsely, i Vive la Repiiblique ! ' " 

" Can you describe the guillotine to me, 
pa ? " 

" Some time at the hotel, or elsewhere, I 
will ; not now." 

" Had the queen any children ? " 

" Yes, a boy and girl." 

" Poor, dear children ! " 

" One was the dauphin, seven years old." 

" What became of them ? " 

" The young dauphin was killed probably by 
harshness and severity. Simon, his brutal jailer, 
had orders to get rid of him. He was neglected, 
half fed, and abused until his reason tottered ; 
and he is said to have died June 9, 1795, in his 
tenth year." 

" Is said to have died ? " 

" Some have questioned whether he died, or 
whether he was taken away, and carried to 
America. One or two persons have pretended 
to be the dauphin." 

" What became of the princess ? " 



28 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" The sister, Maria Theresa, named for hei 
grandmother, was permitted to go to Austria. 
On the fall of Napoleon, after she had become a 
beautiful and gifted woman, and the Duchesse 
d'Angouleme, she returned to Prance, lived a 
checkered life, and died not long ago somewhere 
in Germany." 

" What a terrible tale is this ! " 

" You must read it all carefully. You will 
find it to equal in thrilling interest the sad tale 
of Mary, Queen of Scots." 

" Where can I find it ? " 

" When you return home I will obtain the 
account in some instructive historical work, and 
you can read it." 

Leaving this spot, so consecrated with blood, 
the theatre of so many terrible scenes, the party 
entered the Elysian Fields. 

" What place is this, father ? " asked Walter. 

" This is the famous Champs Elysees." 

" 0, yes, I have heard of it." 

They found the place a fine promenade, strik- 
ing out from Place de la Concorde one and a 
quarter miles, laid out with foot and carriage 
paths, and forming a beautiful resort for the 
gay and fashionable crowds, who sit and walk 
by hours, hearing sweet music and witnessing 
gay scenes. Trees finely trimmed, and hedges 



VIEW OF PARIS. 29 

carefully trained, give shelter from the sun, while 
thousands of chairs and benches furnish seats 
when the people are weary. These grounds are let 
for panoramic and other exhibitions, from which 
an income is derived of about twenty thousand 
francs per annum. On the afternoon or evening 
of any pleasant day, thousands of persons are 
seen moving about under the trees, or resting 
themselves on the benches, or enjoying some of 
the sports of the place and occasion. 

" Why, pa, I should think it was a muster 
ground," said Minnie, as they entered the shaded 
walks. 

" So should I," replied Walter. 

The scene was a very interesting one. All 
kinds of amusements seemed to be in progress. 
Beneath the trees, young men, in large numbers, 
were engaged in the various games calculated to 
give strength and vigor to the muscular system. 
On both sides of the Avenue de Neuilly, which 
is twelve feet wide, and paved with bitumen, 
were pavilions richly decorated and finely illu- 
minated, radiant with all the colors of the rain- 
bow, and flowing with banners, ribbons, pennants, 
and laces. Some of these were open on one 
side, and filled with singers, and in others vari- 
ous fancy articles were exposed for sale. The 
party wandered about for some time, and then 
passed on towards the Triumphal Arch, 



30 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

CHD^OO 

" From this Arch we shall get a fine view of 
the city," remarked Mr. Tenant, as they ap- 
proached. 

" Who built it, Mr. Tenant ? " asked Walter. 

" It was commenced by Napoleon, and com- 
pleted in 1836, at a cost of more than ten mil- 
lion francs." 

" It does not look as if it was so costly a 
structure." 

" No, but we shall find, when we reach it, that 
it is very imposing. It consists of a grand cen- 
tral arch, ninety feet high and forty-five feet 
wide, through which passes a traverse arch, 
scarcely less bold and magnificent in its pro- 
portions." 

" How high is it ? " 

" One hundred and fifty-two feet, and sinks 
its solid stone foundation twenty-five feet below 
the surface of the ground." 

They reached the Arch, paid a woman a franc, 
and went up to the top. 

" How many steps did you make, Minnie ? ' : 
asked Walter. 

" Two hundred and sixty." 

" I counted two hundred and sixty-one." 

" Grand, grand ! " exclaimed Mr. Tenant, as 
he caught a view of the city. 

" Eureka ! Eureka ! " shouted Walter* 



VIEW OP PARIS. 31 

And the view was indeed one of the finest in 
the world, and long they stood gazing down 
upon it. The Champs Elysees, with the spa- 
cious avenue, was thronged with people. Be- 
yond, the palaces were glistening in the sun ; 
old Notre Dame and the Pantheon lifted up 
their towers and domes, like monuments amid 
a sea of habitations ; the ornamented columns 
pointed upward, like the fingers of a giant ; 
the broad, flat roof of La Madaleine stretched 
out like a plain ; while all around, a beautiful 
country was spread out in every direction. 

" Pa, will you point out to us some of the 
objects of interest ? " asked the children. 

" Yes, after we have swept our gaze about, 
and taken a general view." 

When they had stood some time looking out 
upon the sea of shining roofs and stately build- 
ings, Mr. Percy said to the children, — 

" Now I will tell you what prominent objects 
we can see, as near as I can from this map of 
the city I have in my hand." 

" Well, father," said the lad, " Minnie and I 
have been wondering what that tall pillar is 
which we see yonder." 

" 0, that is near our hotel." 

" What is it ? " 

" It is a pillar erected by Napoleon to com- 



32 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

memorate his German victories. It stands in 
what is called Place Vendonie." 

" What is that figure on top ? " 

" That is the bronze figure of Napoleon him- 
self, who is looking out from his dizzy elevation 
upon the passing multitudes below." 

" Is it a very fine pillar ? " 

" Yes. It is an imitation of the Trajan Pillar 
at Rome, and surpasses it in grandeur, and in 
the heroism of the deeds which it commemo- 
rates." 

" What is it made of?" 

" It is made of stone, and covered with bronze 
bass-reliefs, formed entirely of cannon taken in 
the battles of the conqueror. The bass-reliefs 
are spiral, and display the most noted events in 
the German campaigns." 

" And what is that dome I see out there, 
looking so nobly, as it rises above the flat 
roofs ? " 

" That is the dome of the Hotel of the Inva- 
lids, a building we shall visit in a few days, 
where we shall see many old soldiers." 

Mr. Percy also pointed out the various objects 
of interest all over the city, a general view of 
which was obtained by each member of the 
party ; and they all descended, having enjoyed 
themselves finely, and feeling fully repaid for 
the tiresome ascent. 



VIEW OF PARIS. 33 
*o>^oc 

At the base they found an old woman who 
had views of Paris to sell, and our party pur- 
chased several of them to take home to their 
friends. Walter took the roll of engravings 
under his arm, and they all went slowly down 
the broad and spacious avenue, looking at the 
people as they swept by, or gazing in at the 
windows upon the rich goods and rare articles 
displayed to view ; and when they reached their 
rooms, the children were ready to throw them- 
selves on their beds and rest. 

In the afternoon of the same day, Mr. Percy 
said to Walter, — 

" My son, I think you had better not go out 
again to-day." 

" I do not wish to ; I prefer to rest." 

" How will you spend the time here ? " 

"In writing letters." 

"Did you not promise Mr. Falkner, your 
teacher, that you would write to him ? " 

" Yes, sir, and I will do it to-day." 

"That would be well, for Mr. Falkner has 
done much to improve your mind, and give you 
a thorough training in your studies as far as you 
have gone." 

" I will write a long letter." 

" Write it well ; be careful of your sentences, 
vol. m. 3 



54 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

and show him how well you can write, and with 
what skill you can compose." 

Mr. Percy and Mr. Tenant then went out, 
and Walter was left with Minnie as his charge. 
The little girl, however, preferred to have an 
afternoon nap, and Walter wrote the following 
letter to his school teacher : — 

Paris, 1858. 

Dear Sir : 

I promised to write you during my absence, 
and I improve the present time to do so. We 
are now in one of the great cities of the world, 
and though we have had but a general and very 
imperfect view of it, I wish to state the impres- 
sions made on my own mind by what I have 
seen since we have been here. 

Up to this time, our tour has been of the 
utmost interest to us all. We have seen many 
of those things which have long been partially 
familiar by our reading, and now we have come 
to scenes of new and strange fascination for us all. 

The city of Paris is one of the most beautiful 
on the globe, in some respects excelling in the 
elegance of its public buildings, and the taste of 
its people, any other. London is the great mart 
of commerce. Every where are seen the evi- 
dences of industry, and the tokens of successful 
business. You do not think of looking for 



VIEW OP PARIS. 35 

beauty there ; but every street and lane, thronged 
with hurrying, driving people, force upon you 
the conviction that you are in the world's great 
exchange, the vast market place of nations. You 
expect to be jostled, trodden upon, spattered with 
mud, lose your temper, and perhaps your purse. 
But Paris strikes you differently. The streets 
are wide and clean ; the houses are neat and 
gay colored; the people are quiet, courteous, 
and gayety comes borne upon every blast. No 
two cities could present a more striking con- 
trast, and in no two do the forms of life more 
widely vary, and appear more strikingly dis- 
similar. 

Our first view of the place was from the Tri- 
umphal Arch. This is a magnificent monument 
erected by order of Napoleon, to celebrate his 
victories, and is one of the most imposing and 
elaborate structures of the kind in the world. 
It stands on elevated ground, on the outskirts, 
and overlooking the city. It is sixty feet front 
and twenty feet thick, and forty-five feet high. 
Father thinks that from the top of this Arch the 
most beautiful city view in Europe is obtained. 
On looking from the Golden Gallery of St. 
Paul's, in London, though the view is a very 
fine one, the houses are dingy and the streets 
irregular ; the public buildings are so located 



36 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

as not to be seen with any great degree of dis- 
tinctness, and over the whole hangs the perpet- 
ual London fog, obscuring the vision and spoil- 
ing the view. The prospect from the dome of 
St. Peter's, in Rome, father tells me, is very- 
fine ; but Rome is small in its extent, and one 
of course must conjure up the memories of the 
past, to give him an idea of the sublimity of the 
view he is taking. 

But standing on the top of the Napoleon Arch, 
the whole city of Paris is spread before the eye 
in one direction, while in an opposite direction 
a most magnificent country is spread out for 
many miles around. Looking down from the 
Arch, the Ely see Avenue is before you, one and 
one fourth miles long, a magnificent street, with 
its sidewalks of bitumen, its rows of trees, and 
gas lights on both sides, and always filled with 
gay people, and splendid equipages, running 
through the Champs Elysees, and terminating 
in the Place de la Concorde, against which the 
Palace of the Tuileries fills the view. All over 
the city the streets and parks can be seen, not 
narrow and crooked, but straight and wide ; the 
house-tops not covered with the red, dingy tiles, 
but clean and white ; the public buildings rising 
distinctly, the palaces all in view, as if they were 
all located and placed to look towards the Arch 



VIEW OF PARIS. 37 

on which you stand, doing homage to the mighty 
genius of Napoleon, which hovers over the work 
of his hands. The tower of the Invalides, the 
dome of the Pantheon, the Corinthian glories of 
the Madeleine, the antique outlines of the Louvre, 
and the curious forms of the many churches, are 
all clearly seen, while the very heavens, as if to 
shame the murky, humid atmosphere of its 
mighty rival London, are clear ; the skies are 
bright, and not a vapor seems to float in the 
transparent atmosphere. 

Descending from the Arch, we walk down the 
beautiful avenue to the heart of the city. The 
Arch leads into the Champs Elysees, one of the 
most noted places in Paris. It is a public pleas- 
ure ground, laid out in 1616, by Marie de Me- 
dicis, improved by the notorious Madame de 
Pompadour, and covers an area of several acres, 
beautifully laid out with streets, and set with 
trees, and furnished with the various facilities 
for out-of-door pleasure. Here every day, espe- 
cially on the Sabbath, we are told, may be seen 
thousands of the gay Parisians, in all kinds of 
costumes, civil and military, whiling away the 
time with their children and friends. The 
grounds, about a hundred yards wide at one 
end, and seven hundred yards at the other, form 
the play ground and breathing place of the city, 



88 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

and the people crowd here in large numbers to 
enjoy themselves. 

Thus I have endeavored to describe the first 
view we had of the city of Paris. When we 
have seen more, I will write you more. You 
must excuse my haste and brevity, and trust 
that I may make more improvement before I 
return to your school. I remain your pupil, 

Walter Percy. 

When his father returned, Walter had folded 
his letter, and, weary with his long walk in the 
morning, had fallen asleep, his head resting on 
the table. Minnie also was in the land of 
dreams. 




THE BOULEYAEDS. 39 
»oXKoo 



Chapter III. 

A RIDE ALONG THE BOULEVARDS. 

THE next morning a carriage was taken, and 
the company entered it for a ride about 
the city. 

" Where shall we go ? " asked Walter. 

" Let us ride along the Boulevards first," 
replied Mr. Tenant. 

" What are the Boulevards ? " asked Minnie. 

"They are wide, fine streets, nicely paved, 
and having wide sidewalks. They are the 
favorite resort of promenaders, and all along 
them are rich stores." 

" But why are they called ' Boulevards ' ? " 

" Because these stores are on the foundation 
of the ancient fortified wall of the city." 

" When was the wall demolished ? " 

" In 1670." 

"Are the Boulevards — how do you pronounce 
it? — far distant?" 

" The word is pronounced c Boo'le-var : ' we 
are just turning into Boulevard des Capucins." 

" See the people sitting on the sidewalks, eat- 



^0 THE PEKCY FAMILY. 

ing their breakfast out of doors," cried Minnie, 
as the carriage drove on. 

" You will see much of that before we finish 
our ride." 

" What shops are those I see ? " 

" They are the cafes you have often heard of, 
my child." 

" But what is going on now, that they are all 
so full of people ? " 

" Probably nothing unusual. The Frenchman 
sometimes loves his coffee more than he does his 
home, and often spends more time in the cafe 
than in the bosom of his family. In these Bou- 
levards, at almost any hour of the day or even- 
ing, may be seen scores and hundreds of men 
and women sipping coffee and eating ices in the 
open street. In front, as you see, are large 
numbers of little tables, with one or two chairs 
to each, each occupied, while within the cafe are 
busy waiters, hurrying to and fro, to receive or- 
ders and supply the wants of their patrons." 

" How strange ! " 

" To us it is, but it is customary here. In 
some parts of the city, and along the Boule- 
vards, as we shall see as we ride about, little 
arbors are fitted up with hanging lamps ; foun- 
tains abound, and cool retreats, and hither resort 
hundreds to eat, drink, and enjoy. The enchant- 



THE BOULEVARDS. 41 

ments which art throws around these fairy spots 
render them the favorite resorts of men of all 
classes and conditions. The visitor must pur- 
chase some article, or pay two or three sous for 
the use of the chair and table. Thus the keepers 
make good livings, and are enabled to embellish 
their premises in very gorgeous style. 

" Here," said Mr. Tenant, " is the church we 
saw yesterday from the Triumphal Arch." 

" What church ? " asked Walter. 

" The Madeleine." 

" 0, let us go in ! — see, the doors are open." 

They ascended the steps, and entered the 
noble structure, where they found many people 
bowing in various places, or gazing on the dec- 
orations, while at the altar were lights burning, 
and a priest bowing. 

" 0, how magnificent ! " whispered Minnie. 

" Yery grand ! " replied Walter. 

" When was it built, pa ? " 

" In 1764 it was commenced, and finished in 
the time of Louis Philippe." 

11 Why did it take so long to build it ? " asked 
Walter of his father. 

" Because in the troublous times of France, 
the work was often suspended. Louis XV. origi- 
nated it, and selected the designs of Constant 
d'lvry. When Napoleon I. came to the throne, 



42 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

oo^jejcx) 

he determined to go on with the work, and 
instead of a church, convert it into a Temple 
of Glory." 

They walked about this wonderful building, 
and the admiration of the children seemed to 
know no bounds. And indeed the Madeleine is 
well worthy of admiration. Few of the children 
who read this book have ever seen one half so 
beautiful. In form it is a parallelogram, — the 
meaning of which the young reader will see by 
turning to his dictionary, — and is finely lighted 
from the ceiling. The magnificent structure is 
built in the Grecian style of architecture, and 
cost the immense sum of thirteen million and 
seventy-nine thousand francs, or more than two 
million six hundred thousand dollars. It is 
three hundred and twenty-eight feet long, and 
one hundred and thirty-eight feet wide. It is 
surrounded by Corinthian pillars about fifty feet 
high and sixteen and a half in circumference. 
The light comes in through the ceiling, which 
is beautifully painted, and makes a very fine 
display. 

When they had admired this church, they 
again entered the carriage and drove on. The 
day was beautiful, and the people were out in 
large numbers, and the Boulevards looked very 
gay and cheerful. At length they came to a 



THE BOULEVARDS. 43 

place where several men were at work upon the 
sidewalk. 

" What are they doing ? " asked Minnie. 

" Mending the sidewalk," replied her father. 

" But the sidewalks are solid granite, and 
these men are at work with tar and gravel." 

" Are you sure the sidewalks are granite ? " 

" Yes, sir, they were composed of granite in 
the Place de la Concorde, and the Avenue de 
Neuilly, and also in Rue Royale." 

"But — " 

" And it is granite here ; and what are they 
putting on tar for ? " 

" You are too certain of the matter, my child. 
These sidewalks, that look so beautiful and form 
so fine a promenade, are not of granite, but of a 
sort of composition, made up of pitch and gravel, 
and which, being put on hot, soon hardens and 
becomes firm, thus making noble sidewalks at 
a very trifling expense. If you get out of the 
carriage and go and stamp your foot on it, you 
will find that the impression will be left on what 
you thought was granite." 

Minnie sprang from the carriage, which was 
drawn up against where the men were at work, 
and with all her strength, stamped with her foot. 

" Why, pa," she cried, " I have left the whole 
impression of the heel of my boot." 



44 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" I thought you could do so ; the hot sun is 
acting on the pitch." 

Minnie stood looking at the men, observing 
how quickly a square of several yards was cov- 
ered over, and what a nice walk it made as soon 
as it hardened, and she came back to the carriage 
much pleased with what she. had seen. 

" Why don't they have such sidewalks in Bos- 
ton ? " she asked ; " they would be so much finer 
than the hard, coarse, brick pavement." 

" There are good reasons why they do not 
have such pavement in Boston." 

" What are they ? " 

" Can you not guess ? " 

" No, I am sure I cannot." 

" Can Walter ? " 

" I have been thinking." 

" Well." 

" I think, sir, that the frosts in winter would 
soon throw it all up, and crumble the walks to 
pieces, so that we should be obliged to lay them 
every spring." 

" Yes, that would be so ; such composition 
spread on our streets could not stand the sever- 
ity of a New England winter." 

" Go on, driver," cried the little girl. 

The driver cracked his whip, and his horses 
started at a brisk rate, but soon fell into a gait 



THE BOULEVARDS. 45 

O-O^JCK) 

little faster than a walk ; but our friends did 
not wish to ride fast, so they were satisfied. As 
they went on looking at the people, the stores, 
the elegant carriages that passed them, and all 
the objects of interest, Minnie espied a man run- 
ning on before them, with a long ladder on his 
shoulder ; and while she was watching him, she 
saw him stoop down and open a trap door in 
the middle of the street, and putting his ladder 
down, descend over it, and drawing on the cover, 
leave the street as before. 

" Well, I declare, that is funny ! " 

" What ? " said Mr. Tenant. 

" Why, didn't you see that man descend into 
the earth, just at the spot we are now riding 
over ? " 

" Yes ; but what is there funny about that ? " 

" A good deal that is funny — where did he 
go to ? " 

" Perhaps he has gone down through to come 
out on the other side." 

" Don't plague me, Mr. Tenant, but tell me." 

" Well, child, there is an under ground and 
an above ground to Paris." 

" A what ? " 

"A city above the surface, which you see, 
and — " 

A glorious one too." 



u 



46 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" And one under ground, which you do not 
see." 

" Tell us what you mean." 

"I will tell you. Underneath the city are 
immense excavations, used for the purpose of 
drainage, water works, and bones from the cem- 
eteries, and other useful purposes." 

" Were the excavations made for these pur- 
poses ? " . 

" No ; they are much more extensive than 
they need be for this. They were probably 
made to get the stone of which the early build- 
ings were erected." 

" Are these street passages all there are ? " 

" No ; many years ago a house called Tombe- 
Issoire, out on the old Orleans road, was bought 
for a grand entrance to the catacombs." 

" How deep do they go down ? " 

" About seventy-seven steps." 

" Whew ! " 

" How extensive are the catacombs ? " asked 
Walter. 

" From north to south they extend from Rue 
de l'Ecole de Medecine to Barriere Vaugirard, 
and out east they go to the Jardin des Plantes." 

" Are the excavations arched ? " 

" Yes ; but you will go down into them and 
see them, and judge for yourselves." 



THE BOULEVARDS. 49 

The young reader will find on the opposite 
page a good view of a section of Paris under- 
ground, which is as wonderful, if not as fascinat- 
ing and beautiful, as Paris above ground. 

As they advanced farther along, they met a 
carriage driving slowly, in which sat a ven- 
erable looking man in military attire, and at 
whose appearance the people seemed to be very 
enthusiastic. He was a noble looking man, 
and his breast was covered with sparkling 
ornaments. 

" Who is he, father ? " asked Walter. 

" I do not know, my son." 

" What were those ornaments on his breast ? " 

" One I suppose to be the Grand Cross of the 
Legion of Honor." 

" I have often heard of it. What is it ? " 

" The Legion of Honor is an institution 
founded by Napoleon, which distributes honors 
to worthy men, civil and military." 

" Please tell me more about it." 

" Well, all nations have honorary titles to be- 
stow on favorites. In England there are various 
orders, and it is esteemed a great distinction 
to have them conferred. Under the old regime 
in this country, there was the order of St. Louis, 
and the king bestowed the cross of the order on 
persons whom he deemed worthy. At the time 

VOL. III. 4 



50 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

of the revolution the order was abolished, and 
the cross was no more distributed. But Napo- 
leon, understanding the weakness of men, and 
their desire for honors, determined to establish 
a new order, that should be connected with his 
own name. When the time came, Napoleon 
proposed it, and declared that the ' Legion of 
Honor ' would be the commencement of the 
reorganization of France. Many of his court 
opposed it as a remnant of the old royalty. 
But the persevering emperor carried his pur- 
pose." 

"I should like to examine the cross," said 
Minnie. 

" Perhaps you will have an opportunity before 
we leave Paris. Here, Walter," continued Mr. 
Percy, handing his son a little book which he 
took from his pocket, "is an account of the 
inauguration of the order ; read it aloud ; it is 
interesting." 

" Yes, sir," replied Walter. " Please, driver, 
walk the horses." 

u Oui" (yes,) replied that personage, who 
could understand a little English, but could not 
speak it. 

Walter took the book, and read low but dis- 
tinctly, so that all in the carriage could hear, 
and yet not so as to attract attention outside, 



THE BOULEVARDS, 51 

— — oo^oo 

the following statement of the establishment of 
the Legion of Honor : " On the 14th of July, 
1804, at the very hour when the old constitu- 
tion had fallen with the walls of the Bastile 
fifteen years before, the new one rose with the 
Legion of Honor. As the 14th fell on a Satur- 
day, the ceremony was put off to the next day. 
It took place in the Chapel of the Invalides, 
where the ashes of the emperor now rest. After 
a grand review, the emperor arrived on horse- 
back at the Invalides, coming through an innu- 
merable crowd of eager observers. He ascended 
the throne in the choir. In a gallery opposite 
were the Empress Josephine and her daughter 
Hortense, who was afterwards married to Louis 
Bonaparte." 

" 0, I should like to have seen Josephine and 
Hortense ! " broke in Minnie. 

" Hush, child ; let me read. ' Besides these, 
there were eighteen marshals of the empire, 
only four being away on the field of battle. 
After mass had been performed by Cardinal 
Caprara, and the gospel read, M. de Lacepede, 
of the Institute, the grand chancellor of the 
order, rose from his seat. Napoleon had re- 
solved to honor intellect by placing him at the 
head of the Legion of Honor. Lacepede pro- 
nounced the inaugural discourse, and called 



52 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

oyer the names of the grand officers, who took 
the oath required by the statutes before the 
throne. Then the emperor delivered a speech 
such as none but he could deliver, and, reading 
the oath to the legionaries, asked them in a loud 
voice whether they would take it. All, with one 
voice, answered in the affirmative. Two large 
basins were brought, one of gold, containing the 
gold crosses for the officers, and the other of 
silver, containing the silver crosses for the sim- 
ple members. The symbols and the device were 
the same for both classes : a number of stan- 
dards collected together, the effigy of Napoleon, 
and the words ' Honor and Country,' borrowed 
from the old monarchy. M. de Segur, grand 
master of the ceremonies, took a cross of each 
metal, and gave them to M. de Talleyrand Peri- 
gord, grand chamberlain ; he passed them to 
Louis Bonaparte, constable of the empire, who 
placed them on the breast of Napoleon. At 
this moment, three rounds of applause reechoed 
through the building. Then the distribution 
commenced. First came the members of the 
Institute, comprising all the most distinguished 
ohilosophers, literary men, and artists of the 
lay, and headed by Monge, the very man who 
lad previously ridiculed honorary distinctions 
,s mere playthings. After these, the military 



THE BOULEVARDS. 53 

officers of high rank received the new decora- 
tions at the hands of the emperor. A Te Deum 
by-'" 

" A what ? " asked Minnie. 

"A Te Deum." 

" What is that ? " 

" It is a song of praise, to be sung in churches, 
I believe." 

" But why is it so called ? " 

" I do not know. I often see it in print, and 
know that it means a song of praise. Perhaps 
father can tell us why it is so called." 

Mr. Percy, on being appealed to, told them that 
the hymn of praise called Te Deum derived that 
name from its first words, " Te Deum laudamus." 
Thee, God, we praise. 

"Read on, Walter." 

" Don't interrupt me again. ' A Te Deum, by 
Lesueur, followed the distribution of the crosses ; 
and in the evening there was a concert at the 
Tuileries, a general illumination of the city, and 
a grand display of fireworks on the Pont Neuf. 

" ' But the army not having been able to be 
present at the Invalides, Napoleon went to them 
at Boulogne, where a second fete, equal in splen- 
dor to the first, was celebrated. On the 16th 
of August, at ten o'clock in the morning, the 
emperor, in the simple uniform of the light 



54 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

oOj^OC 

horse, appeared in the camp on horseback, and 
took his seat in the bronze chair of Dagobert, 
which is still to be seen at the Museum of Sov- 
ereigns. From this elevated position he com- 
manded a view of the harbor, the two camps, 
the batteries, the harbor of Vimeux, and the 
coasts of England. Salvos of artillery thundered 
forth, and the crosses were placed in helmet and 
cuirasses. At the sound of eighteen hundred 
drums, sixty thousand men began to march, and 
the legionaries, leaving their ranks, came one 
after the other to receive the cross from the hand 
of the emperor.' " 

" Now, children," said Mr. Percy, "remember 
this account, and it will add interest to the cross 
when you see it sparkling on the breast of any 
one who has nobly earned it." 

" I have heard of the ' Order of the Garter/ 
What is that, father ? " asked Walter. 

" That is an English order, instituted by 
Edward III." 

" Why is it called the Garter ? " asked 
Minnie. 

" There are various accounts of the origin of 
the order. The most plausible one is that re- 
lated on the authority of English historians, that 
the king one day found a garter belonging to 
the Countess of Salisbury, and displayed it before 



THE BOULEVARDS. 55 

his courtiers, who smiled at it. The king, on 

seeing their smiles, replied, ' Honi soit qui mal 

y pensef which became the motto of the order, 

which he at once founded." 

" What does that motto mean ? " 

11 Evil to him that evil thinks hereof." 

" Is this order reputable and influential ? " 

" Certainly ; its knights are made from the 

princes and peers." 

" Well, the origin is low enough." 

" Many of these orders have low and frivolous 

origins, but they have great influence." 

" What is the — the — sign of the order ? — 

you know what I mean." 
" The insignia ? " 
"Yes, sir." 

" A garter, mantle, cap, George, and collar." 
" What do they do with the garter ? " 
"It is worn by the knight on the left leg, 

between the knee and the calf." 
" What does it look like ? " 
" Why, a garter, to be sure." 
" How is it made ? " 

" I can hardly tell ; but the motto is on it." 
" Can you tell us about any other orders ? " 
" Yes, at some leisure time, I will tell you 

about several English, French, and Austrian 

orders. We had better now pay our attention 



56 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

to the Parisians ; we can talk about the orders 
any time. We ought not to lose any of the ben- 
efit of our fine ride to-day." 

" See, Walter, how many women there are 
in the streets with little night caps on," said 
Minnie. 

" They are not night caps." 

" What are they ? " 

" They are caps that are worn, father tells me, 
by the low classes of females to save the expense 
of bonnets." 

" Well, they look queer." 

" Because we are unaccustomed to the sight." 

The reader probably knows that the streets 
of Paris, at all hours of the day, are filled with 
young women who wear a comfortable linen or 
muslin cap, instead of a bonnet ; and after the 
odd look ceases to affect the mind, the costume 
seems to be very tidy and pretty. Minnie at 
length came to like it so well, that without mak- 
ing allowance for the difference of climate, she 
wished the Bostonians would adopt it. Indeed, 
she soon fell in love with all the Parisian forms 
and customs. She was determined to like every 
thing she saw in that beautiful city. 

" Now," said Mr. Percy, " it is about time for 
us to return to the hotel. We have been driv- 
ing about some time in the Boulevards, and I 



THE BOULEVARDS. 5t 

o-ojsKoo 

propose that we draw up at one of the cafes, 
and take some French coffee, and other refresh- 
ments." 

" That is it," cried Minnie. 

" Glorious idea," said Walter. 

"I approve the plan," added Mr. Tenant. 

The driver was directed to take them to a 
well-known cafe in the Boulevard des Italiens ; 
and they all alighted at a well-furnished restau- 
rant, where many gentlemen and ladies were 
sitting sipping coffee and other dishes. 

" Now, Walter," said his father, " put your 
French in exercise, and see if you can get us 
what we want." 

Walter thought a moment, and then uttered 
a most unintelligible sentence, in which viande, 
(meat,) hibou, (owl,) and les gateaux, (the 
cakes,) figured conspicuously. 

The servant looked dolefully at the company ; 
the gentlemen began to laugh ; Minnie, under- 
standing that Walter had made a mistake, 
clapped her hands. 

" What did I say ? " asked Walter, reproach- 
fully. 

" Say ! You did not say much of any thing." 

" What did I come nearest to saying ? " 

" You came nearest to ordering owl instead 
of chicken. Do not try to put it all in one 
sentence. Ask for articles separately." 



58 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

Walter thought a moment, and then, looking 
at the servant, said, — 

" Caft," (coffee.) 

" Oui," (yes.) 

" Hibou," (owl.) 

" No, no ! " said Mr. Percy. 

" Dindon" (turkey,) said Walter 

" No, no ! " said his father. 

" Poulets" (chickens,) cried Walter, almost 
vexed. 

" Oui" (yes,) said the servant. 

Thus with considerable difficulty they obtained 
refreshments ; and, having partaken of them, they 
all rode to the hotel, where, after resting a while, 
they went out and walked in the Champs Ely sees, 
which they found filled with happy appearing 
people, in holiday attire. 







VISIT TO PEEE LA CHAISE. 59 



Chapter IV. 

FROM THE MORGUE TO PERE LA CHAISE. 

THERE are two places in Paris that one can- 
not enter without a feeling of sadness. In 
one, the scenes witnessed repulse and disgust 
the spectator : in the other, the sadness is allur- 
ing, captivating, and inviting. One is a low, 
death visited building on the banks of the Seine ; 
the other is a beautiful garden of graves on an 
eminence, from which the living city is full in 
view. 

" What is the Morgue, pa ? " asked Minnie, 
one morning as they were riding out. 

" The city dead house, my child." 

" Shall we see it ? " 

" Yes, we are riding in that direction. There 
it is, just before us." 

On reaching the Morgue, the gentlemen, who 
knew something of the character of the place, 
endeavored to persuade Minnie not to go in ; 
but she, determined to see all she could, per- 
sisted. The Morgue is the house where dead 
bodies, found in the river or streets, are brought 



60 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

oO>€^C>o 

to be identified by their friends, and few persons 
care to visit it a second time. There are two 
large rooms, separated by a partition of glass, 
in one of which the bodies are laid in view of 
those who gaze in from the other. The corpses 
are divested of their clothing, and laid on in- 
clined tables of shining brass, so that the whole 
person, with whatever scars and marks, or other 
distinguishable things there may be about it, 
may be seen. The clothing is hung up over 
the body, that it may serve as a means of iden- 
tification. 

" Shall we see any bodies ? " asked Minnie, as 
she held closely to Walter's hand. 

"We will see soon," replied Walter, in a 
whisper. 

They all drew near the window, and looked 
in, and the children, with a low cry of horror, 
sprang back and covered their eyes with their 
hands. Three ghastly corpses were there, and 
the terrible look had sent a cold chill all through 
their quivering frames. 

" Come, let us go," said Minnie, drawing 
Walter away. 

" Awful sight ! " whispered Walter. 

Of the three persons, the first was a fine, 
manly-looking form, a handsome countenance, 
which even in death was not destitute of attrac- 



VISIT TO PERE LA CHAISE. 61 

tion, but fearful sores covered the whole body, 
and rendered the spectacle as loathsome as if he 
had died of leprosy. 

The second was a man about forty-five years 
old, who had been killed in some kind of fight. 
His face was bruised and blackened ; his eyes 
seemed as if they had been nearly gouged out, 
and there were several stabs from which the 
blood was still oozing. The spectacle was hid- 
eous beyond description ; and almost every one 
who looked on turned away aghast from that 
sad and sorrowful looking scene. 

The third was a woman, about twenty-two 
years of age, fair and beautiful in the lasting 
sleep. She appeared to have been beaten to 
death ; several wounds being visible on her per- 
son, her arms and shoulders bruised and black- 
ened, and one side of her face gashed, as if with 
a sharp knife. Her dark hair lay back, leaving 
a fine forehead bare, and the clothes hanging 
over her indicated a person in comfortable cir- 
cumstances. 

" brother, do let us go ! " cried Minnie. 

"Terrible sight, Minnie ! J ' replied Walter. 

" Come out, come out ! " 

" Hush, Minnie ; you are drawing attention." 

" Do come ! " 

They were all glad to get away from the aw- 



62 THE PERCY FAMILY, 

0-0£#40C 

ful scene, and soon were seated in the carriage, 
Minnie with her face buried in her perfumed 
handkerchief. 

" pa," she said, " why did you take me to 
such a place ? " 

" I urged you, child, not to enter." 

" But I did not know what was there." 

" You should have taken my advice." 

" But I didn't know." 

" Certainly you did not know. I would have 
saved your nerves this shock, but you persisted 
in going in." 

" But, pa, why did you wish to go ? ' : 

" Because I came here to see all that was to 
be seen. I have often heard of the Morgue, and 
wished to see it. Now, if in future you will take 
my counsel in such cases, you will be saved 
some pain." 

" pa, do tell me whenever you are going to 
such a place again ! Why, I tremble now." 

" It was a sight, my child, enough to make 
one shudder." 

" See ! I believe it has struck Walter dumb." 

They all looked to the lad, who, in one corner 
of the carriage, was sitting with a very grave 
look and a very sober face. 

" What are you thinking about, Walter ? " 
asked Mr. Tenant. 



VISIT TO PERE LA CEAISE. dS 



u 



I was thinking that any one of us might get 
separated from the rest, fall a victim to death, 
and be brought here, unrecognized and un- 
known." 

" The thought is a natural one on leaving 
such a place. We should be careful and not 
be separated in this strange land." 

" Yes ; and we should remember," added Mr. 
Percy, " that the great and holy God watches 
over us here, as well as at home. The unseen 
hand of the heavenly Father holds and protects 
us. We are not the children of fate, nor chance, 
but the children of Providence." 

" I remember that mother has often spoken to 
me of this Providence," said Walter. 

" Did I not hear her repeating some lines to 
you the night before we left home ? " 

" Yes, sir." 

" What were they ? Can you repeat them ? " 

" I do not know — perhaps I can : — 

1 All nature is but art unknown to thee ; 
AU chance, direction, which thou canst not see ; 
AU discord ' 

I forget the other words." 

Mr. Tenant added the rest : — 

" harmony, not understood; 



AU partial evil, uniyersal good," 



64 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" Who was the author of the lines, Walter ? " 
asked his father. 

" Pope ; they are in his ' Essay on Man.' 
Mother was reading from that when you heard 
her." 

Minnie, whose spirits were very elastic, soon 
recovered her cheerfulness ; and, as the carriage 
passed through the gay streets of Paris, which 
were all alive with marching soldiers, gay wo- 
men, and polite men, the whole company soon 
forgot the sad scene they had witnessed. 

But as they rode along they were suddenly 
arrested ; a crash occurred, a shout from the 
driver, and a roll of the carriage, which for 
the instant seemed to threaten the occupants 
with sudden disaster. 

" Hold, driver, hold ! " cried Mr. Percy, for- 
getting that the poor fellow could not under- 
stand him. 

" Keep your arms from the doors, children," 
cried Mr. Tenant 

" 0, dear, what is the matter ? " asked 
Minnie. 

" The matter is all over now," replied her 
father, as the carriage, relieved of its pressure., 
righted, and drove on. 

" What was it, pa ? " 

" Why, did you not see ? Our careless driver 



VISIT TO PERE LA CHAISE. 65 

0-0>@<CK3 

got us wedged in between an omnibus and a 
dray." 

" I wish the omnibus was driven from the 
streets. It is always in trouble." 

" Foolish child, the omnibus is a very useful 
and economical conveyance." 

" But how often they fill up Washington Street 
and Broadway, injuring lighter carriages ! " 

" Yet they are great conveniences. What 
would they do in London without them ? You 
noticed how cheaply we could ride there in them." 

" Well, I presume you are right ; but I have 
often wondered why they call that long, ugly 
carriage, omnibus ." 

" Can Walter tell ? " asked his father. 

" Yes, sir ; I recollect that our school teacher, 
Mr. Falkner, said it was a Latin word, that meant 
6 for all J or ' accommodate all? " 

" How long have they been used, father ? " 
asked the little girl. 

" Well, a line was started here in 1828. The 
people of London established a line a year or 
two afterwards." 

" Where did it run ? " 

" Through the Strand, I think." 

" When did the Americans start them ? " 

" They claim to have had a line some years 
earlier." 

vol. in. 5 



66 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" Where — in Boston ? " 

"No; in New York." 

" Have they any horse railroads in London or 
Paris ? " 

"There are none in London, and only one in 
Paris ; that runs from Paris to St. Cloud, and 
is called the American railway." 

This conversation was interrupted by the sud- 
den stoppage of the carriage. 

" What is the matter now, driver ? " asked 
Mr. Tenant. 

The driver pointed to four dark-colored stones 
in the street, and seeing how earnest his gestic- 
ulations were, they concluded there was some- 
thing to see. 

" What is it ? " they all asked. 

The driver made them to understand that this 
was the place where the guillotine stands in case 
of public execution. Here, he told them, that 
fatal instrument was erected. 

" Who was last executed here ? " 

" Orsini." 

" Who was he, pa ? " asked Minnie. 

"He was an Italian, who endeavored to assas- 
sinate the emperor a short time ago." 

" You told us, pa, that at some time conven- 
ient you would describe the guillotine — will 
you do so now ? " 



VISIT TO PEEE LA CHAISE. 67 

" If you wish to have me, I will." 

" Why is it called guillotine ? " 

"From Joseph Ignatius Guillotin, a physi- 



cian." 



" Did he invent it ? " 

" No, not exactly. An instrument called the 
maiden was formerly used in England and Scot- 
land for public executions, very similar to the 
guillotine. The Italians also had the mannaia, 
a similar machine. This physician, who died in 
1814, proposed this mode of execution instead 
of hanging ; and being adopted at his suggestion, 
the instrument took his name." 

" What does the guillotine look like ? " 

" It somewhat resembles a pile-driver, which 
you have seen at work at home. There are two 
upright posts, with grooves. In these grooves 
runs a heavy iron knife. The criminal is laid 
between the posts, in a horizontal position, his 
face downward, directly beneath the knife, which 
is raised to a considerable height. At a given 
signal, a spring is touched, and the knife, or 
rather the iron weight with a sharpened edge, 
descends, and cuts off the head at once." 

" How terrible ! " 

" And yet it was deemed a merciful change 
from hanging, or the English mode of decapita- 
tion with an axe." 



68 THE PERCY FAMILY- 

(X>>®<OC 

" And this is the way in which the beautiful 
Marie Antoinette and her husband were exe- 
cuted ? " 

" Yes. I told you something about it when 
we were in the Place de la Concorde, and when 
we go out to Versailles, I shall have something 
more to say to you respecting these unfortunate 
people." 

" 0, how fearful ! " 

" Child, you can have no idea of it. Those 
scenes, never to be repeated, form one of the 
darkest days of France. It was awful to see 
that royal family perish so." 

" Were they both executed together ? " 

" No ; 1 think I told you the king was be- 
headed first. He was taken from prison, and 
carried to the place, and with a firm step as- 
cended the platform, and — But it is a long 
story, which you must read." 

" 0, do go on ! " cried both children at once. 

" Well, the king stood on the platform. The 
plank, the rope, the knife, the pavements for 
yards around, were clotted with blood. Unre- 
sistingly he was bound to the plank, and the 
nlank was placed beneath the axe which came 
gliding down, noiseless as lightning, and as fatal 
too ; and the trunkless head of Louis XVI. 
rolled at the feet of the executioner. 



VISIT TO PERE LA CHAISE. 69 

"The queen lived a few months, in a cell, 
the floor of which was thick with mud and dust, 
the walls of which were covered with vermin, 
when she was taken out to hear her sentence — 
death. She ascended the steps ; she trod on 
blood ; she knelt in prayer, where it seemed as 
if God had forgotten to be merciful ; she was 
bound to the plank ; her eye watched for a mo- 
ment the glittering knife ; the plank was brought 
beneath the fatal groove ; the axe fell, and the 
head of Maria Antoinette rolled into the basket, 
where it struck against the head of one of her 
noblest friends, who had gone to death before 
her." 

" Here we are at Pere la Chaise," said Mr. 
Tenant ; " and a truce to these bloody stories, 
I say." 

Thev all left the carriage and entered the 
gate, and were soon in this fairy place, admir- 
ing the beautiful monuments and tombs. 

" What are all these little buildings for ? " 
asked Minnie, pointing to chapels that decorate 
the place. 

" They are built instead of monuments. There, 
go and look at that one that Walter seems to be 
admiring." 

Minnie ran over to where Walter stood, with 



70 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

his sketch book in his hand, taking a rough draft 
of one of the chapels. 

" Let me see," she said, pulling his book. 

The chapel which Walter had sketched was 
of soft sandstone, Corinthian architecture, seven 
feet long and four feet wide. A man could 
stand upright in it. The walls were thin, and 
the door of iron trellised work, through which 
the interior could be seen. It was furnished 
with a chair, a prayer book, several pots of the 
geranium, a vase of natural flowers, a kneeling 
statue, a silver crucifix, a miniature daguerreo- 
type, a mourning picture, and some twenty-five 
wreaths of artificial flowers. A little table on 
which some of these things stood was covered 
with white muslin, and the floor neatly spread 
with painted carpet. In the rear, behind the 
altar, or table, was a small stained glass win- 
dow ; and the whole structure was neat and 
beautiful. 

" How large is this cemetery ? " asked Mr. 
Tenant of his friend. 

" About one hundred acres, I believe." 

" I do not think it so fine as Mount Auburn, 
or Greenwood," said Walter, who had finished 
his sketch. 

" In some respects it is not," replied his 
father. 



VISIT TO PERE LA CHAISE. 71 

00>@<CK> 

" Here, pa, what is this ? " cried Minnie, 
pointing to a somewhat remarkable tomb. 

" That is the famous tomb of Abelard and 
Helo'ise." 

" And who were they — monks, nuns, kings, 
or queens ? " 

" Perhaps Walter can tell you." 

" Can you, Walter ? " 

" I have read something about them," replied 
the lad, " and if you will wait until we get home, 
I will tell you." 

" I can't wait." 

" Can't ? " 

" No. The story will be out of date then." 

" Well, then, stop breaking that bush, and 
walk around the tomb with me, and I will tell 
you all I know." 

" Go on ; I am all attention." 

" Abelard was a — " 

" Was that all his name ? " 

" No. His name was Peter Abelard. He 
was a monk of St. Benedict, and a famous 
scholar. He was distinguished as a teacher 
and a man of science. In the city of Paris he 
met Helo'ise." 

" Who was she ? " 

" A young lady of great beauty, niece of a 



72 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

distinguished personage. With her he fell in 
love, and — " 

" Bah ! " 

" A secret marriage took place, which, to save 
her husband from the consequences, the lady 
denied under oath. Her friends proceeded to 
wreak vengeance on Abelard, and his prospects 
of usefulness and happiness were blasted. The 
monks pursued him with untiring ferocity for 
years, but he bore it all as a patient sufferer. 
He became Abbot of — of — Pa, can you tell 
me what Abelard was Abbot of? " 

" Of St. Gildas de Rays," my son. 

" Heloi'se became the head of a religious sis- 
terhood ; and in connection with their sacred 
duties, they often saw each other. Abelard died 
at the age of sixty-three, venerated for his vir- 
tues. Heloi'se begged his body, and at her death, 
which occurred soon after, was buried beside 
him. About sixty years ago their ashes were 
brought to this place and entombed." 

" Well, well ; why did Heloi'se deny the mar- 
riage ? " 

" To shield Abelard." 

" Why to shield him ? What shield did he 
need ? " 

" He was an ecclesiastic, and according to the 
laws of the Romish church, could not marry." 



VISIT TO PERT, LA GU AZZU. 7S 

" Ah." 

" So it was, I believe," 

" But how did you know so much about 
them ? " 

" Did you sec me conversing with that old 
French valet-dc-place, at the hotel, last night ? " 

"Yes." 

" Well, he told me all I have toicl you 5p 

" What else did he say ? " 

" He said that the affecting letters of Abelard 
and Heloi'se had been published, and could not 
be read without tears." 

" I will get them and read them. 5 ' 

"Walter," said Mr. Tenant, "here is a spat 
you will want to see." 

" What, that bunch of weeds with a rough 
fence around it ? " 

" Yes." 

" Who lies there ? " 

" Marshal Ney, whose only crime was that he 
loved his country too well, is here. After hav- 
ing fought the battles and avenged the wrongs 
of France, he was condemned and shot as a 
traitor ; and his ashes are here, without a mon- 
ument." 

" I have read a sketch of him. He was a 
here." 

" Yes \ but the fates of war decided his case. 



74 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

Ho was shot to appease the allied powers, and 
now sleeps in a dishonored grave ?? 

They wandered about a long time in the cem- 
etery, and from the highest point obtained a fiie 
view of the city in the distance. It seemed as 
if the children never would be tired, and long 
after the gentlemen were ready to return, Walter 
and Minnie sat on the brow of the hill, gazing 
off upon the gay, lively city, admiring what they 
saw, and begging permission to stay and enjoy 
the fine view, and the pleasant walks a little 
longer. 




FRENCH ROYALTY. 75 



Chapter V. 

GLIMPSES AT TRENCH ROYALTYc 

THE French people have often changed their 
form of government, and sometimes have 
had no government at all. Now it is king, 
and then emperor, and anon president. To- 
day it is Bourbon, and to-morrow Orleans. The 
fickle French, in their love of change, do not 
make the throne an easy seat ; but under their 
restless desires for something new, the Tuileries 
often change occupants. 

"I have seen the emperor," cried Walter, 
running into his father's room one evening, 
as the gentlemen of the party sat conversing 
together. 

" Where, Walter ? " asked Minnie, starting 
up from the bed in her own little apartment, 
upon which she had thrown herself. 

" He was on horseback, and returning from 
some excursion, escorted by some mounted 
soldiers." 

" How did he look ? " 

" Like any other man, I believe. I only had 
i glimpse as he rode by*" 



76 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" Shall we see the emperor and empress ? " 
he asked, turning to his father. 

" I think we shall." 

" How ? " 

" 0, I have means of obtaining a sight of 
these illustrious persons, that you will find out 
soon." 

" I would like to know something about the 
French government before I see the emperor/ 3 
said Minnie. 

" What would you like to know, my child ? " 

" Well, about the kings and queens." 

" That history is long and full. This country 
has had many noted sovereigns. The illustrious 
Charlemagne once ruled here, and — " 

" Who was he ? " 

" He was one of the earlier sovereigns, under 
whose reign France increased in power, literary 
culture, and social importance. He was born 
in 742, was crowned king of the Franks at the 
age of twenty-six ; and after many brilliant ex- 
ploits, died in 814." 

" Was he buried in Paris ? " 

" No ; in Aix-la-Chapelle, a place you will 
visit while we are on the continent, when I will 
give you some further particulars of this king." 

"I have heard, father," said Walter, "that 
Charlemagne was buried in a sitting posture." 



FRENCH ROYALTY. 77 

»-o>3^oo 

" Yes ; lie was seated on a throne of gold ; his 
crown was put on his head, his sceptre in his 
hand ; by his side were his shield and sword, and 
on his knees were the Gospels according to the 
four evangelists. An arch of triumph was 
erected over the vault, and on it an inscrip- 
tion placed." 

" What was it ? M 

" As near as I remember, it was in these 
words : ' Here lies the body of Charles, the 
great and orthodox Emperor, who gloriously 
enlarged, and for forty-seven years happily gov- 
erned, the Empire of the Franks.' " 

" I have read, pa, the history of France, down 
to the revolution, and I have often wondered 
why the people should drive away so good a king 
as Louis Philippe." 

" There were many reasons for it, my son. 
Louis Philippe came to the throne in 1830, in 
the midst of the existence of several distinct 
parties. The republicans were clamorous for a 
democracy ; the legitimists for the restoration 
of the elder branch of the Bourbon family ; 
while a middle class looked to the house of 
Orleans as the only hope of their blood-drunken 
nation. Lafayette presented Louis Philippe as 
the representative of a liberal government; and 
he was accepted by the people, and crowned 



78 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

accordingly. But he was not a warlike man, 
and failed to satisfy the thirst of the people for 
military glory." 

" Was his reign, while it lasted, peaceful ? " 
" Not for him. From the day of his corona- 
tion up to the year 1848, he continued to reign, 
his throne ever surrounded by traitors, frequent 
attempts made upon his life, and storm and tem- 
pest continually howling around him. The poor 
man did not have much comfort on his throne." 
" He was a good king — was he not ? " 
" Yes, he was, on the whole, a good king, a 
man of tolerable intellect, with a good knowl- 
edge of human nature, and an instinctive love 
of peace and order. During his administration, 
public buildings were erected, the arts flourished, 
and the nation was prosperous and happy. But, 
overlooking all these considerations, the people 
thirsted for revolution." 

" Why could he not have crushed out this 
revolution ? He had soldiers enough." 

" He might have done it. While the bells were 
tolling, and the people were gathering in the street, 
the Tuileries was filled with counsellors, M. M0I6, 
M. Thiers, M. Guizot, and others having been 
called in to consult with the perplexed king. 
These all advised immediate and decided action ; 
but the peaceful king was unwilling to shed 



FRENCH ROYALTY. 79 

blood, and hesitated. The commandant told him 
that the revolution could be stayed ; that one 
broadside would drive back the masses who were 
filling the Place de la Concorde. Still the king 
wished to avoid the slaughter, and refused the 
counsel. At last the monarch gave orders to 
have the soldiers fire upon the mob. But the 
officer shook his head, and exclaimed, ' Too 
late ! ' " 

" What did the king do then ? " 

" He abdicated." 

" What is that ? "■ asked Minnie. 

" A resignation of the kingly office. Louis 
Philippe abdicated in favor of the Count of 
Paris." 

"Who was he?" 

" He was grandson of the king, the oldest son 
of the Duke of Orleans." 

" Did he become king ? " 

" No ; his mother, the Duchess of Orleans, 
went to the Chamber of Deputies, with her two 
children, and pleaded for their rights, while over 
her hung the sword, and around her shouted the 
infuriated madmen. She was a widow, and ar- 
rayed in mourning for the sad death of her hus- 
band, who was thrown from his carriage and 
killed a while before, about which sad accident 
I will tell you at some future time." 



80 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

o-0«ag^oo 

" What did the deputies do ? " 

" At first they were touched with her appeal, 
and seemed about to acknowledge the young 
count as king ; but a crowd of assailants burst 
into the chamber, and looked with glaring eyes 
upon the beautiful duchess and her children^ 
and began to cry, 4 Why is she here ? ' The tide 
which was setting towards royalty began to roll 
back again, and the defenceless woman was soon 
obliged to flee for her life. A butcher's boy, 
with a long knife in his hand, ran towards the 
duchess, crying, ' The spawn of royalty — we 
must make an end of them.' " 

" Did he strike her ? " 

" No ; he was held back by a brave son of old 
Marshal Soult, who hurled him down into the 
crowd with just indignation and abhorrence." 

" And then ? " 

" She was forced out of the hall, and left in 
the crowd without. Here she was separated 
from her children, and, covered with a veil 
which concealed her countenance, she was 
dashed about by the swarms of people, until 
she fell against a glass door, which yielded, and 
she was borne away to a place of safety." 

" What became of the young count ? " 

" He was recognized, and a brawny man was 
about strangling him in the streets, when he 



FRENCH ROYALTY. 81 

was rescued by a national guard, who carried 
him, at the risk of his own life, to his mother." 

" You say there were two children ? " 

"Yes." 

" What was the name of the other ? Who 
was he ? " 

" The young Duke of Chartres." 

" What became of him ? " 

" He fell in the street, and was trodden down 
by the mob. Rescued at length, he was taken 
away, and for several days his mother remained, 
without any knowledge of his safety, in the most 
distressing anxiety." 

" Where were the rest of the family all this 
time ? " 

" The king, with the queen and their children, 
had fled as far as Dreux, where he heard that his 
abdication had not saved the throne to his grand- 
son. He now began to fear for his own safety. 
The sad fate of Louis XVI. was before his mind, 
and he resolved to escape at once to England. 
Under the name of Theodore Lebran, he suc- 
ceeded in the attempt, while his youngest son, 
the Duke of Montpensier, with his wife fled to 
Brussels." 

" Did they all get to England ? " 

" Yes." 

" Is the Count of Paris now alive ? " 

VOL. III. 6 



82 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" Yes ; and some think he will yet be king." 
" When did Louis Napoleon appear ? " 
" Very soon after these events transpired." 
" Father, will you tell me something aboiu 
his early life ? " 

" It is a very curious history." 
" That is why we want to hear it." 
" The present emperor, Charles Louis Napo- 
leon, is the son of Louis Bonaparte, ex-king of 
Holland." 

" Who was he ? " 

" He was Napoleon's brother, the fourth son 
of Charles Bonaparte. When his brother became 
emperor, he was made king of Holland." 
" Who was the present emperor's mother ? " 
" She was Hortensia Beauharnais, the step- 
daughter of Napoleon. Thus the present mon- 
arch is nephew of the great emperor, and grand- 
son of Josephine." 
" Yes, I understand." 

" The marriage between Louis and Hortensia 
was forced on by Napoleon against the wishes 
of the parties most interested, but they found it 
impossible to resist the pressure. Louis himself, 
describing the marriage, says, " Never was there 
a more gloomy ceremony ; never had husband 
and wife a stronger presentiment of the bitter- 
ness of a reluctant and ill-assorted union." 



FRENCH ROYALTY. 83 

o-o>g^oo 

" And the present emperor was their son ? " 

" Yes ; but the world heard little of him, 
though he was created Grand Duke of Berg, 
and was a great favorite with the old em- 
peror." 

"What next?" 

" He first presented himself to the world in 
an insurrection at Strasburg, which was badly 
planned, and resulted most unfavorably. The 
garrison, consisting of several regiments, and the 
people, were enthusiastic in his favor. But ow- 
ing to the most unskilful generalship, he lost his 
cause. Scarcely a blow was struck, or a gun 
fired, or a drop of blood shed. A stern royalist 
ran in among his own soldiers, and declared to 
them that the person calling himself Louis Na- 
poleon, nephew of the emperor, was only an 
impostor. They became clamorous at once, and 
demanded that Louis Napoleon should prove his 
identity ; and before he could do this, his camp 
was in complete disorder, and he was taken 
prisoner. 

" Louis Napoleon thus describes the scene : 
' A single word from myself, or Colonel Tail- 
landier, would have led to a regular massacre. 
The officers around me repeatedly offered to 
hew me a passage through the infantry, which 
could have been easily effected ; but I would not 



84 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

consent to shed French blood in my own cause ; 
besides, I could not believe that the 46th regi- 
ment, which a moment previously had mani- 
fested so much sympathy, could have so prompt- 
ly changed their sentiments. At any risk I 
determined to make an effort to recover my 
influence over it, and I suddenly rushed into 
their very midst ; but in a minute I was sur- 
rounded by a triple row of bayonets, and forced 
to draw my sabre to parry off the blows aimed 
at me from every side. In another instant I 
should have perished by French hands, when 
the cannoneers, perceiving my danger, charged, 
and carrying me off, placed me in their ranks. 
Unfortunately, this movement separated me 
from my officers, and threw me amongst sol- 
diers who doubted my identity. Another strug- 
gle ensued, and in a few minutes I was a 
prisoner.' " 

" Did he originate this insurrection in order 
to overturn the king and get the throne ? " 

" Yes ; but it proved a miserable failure." 

" And then?" 

" He instigated an insurrection at Boulogne, 
which was as badly managed, and resulted as 
disgracefully as the other ; and he was shut up 
by the French government in the citadel of Ham, 
where he remained until he was made president, 



FRENCH ROYALTY. 85 



which office he held, you know, before he was 
made emperor." 

" Have you ever seen the emperor, pa ? " 

" Yes, I have seen him once." 

" How does he look ? " 

"Well, you will see him before you leave 
Prance, so that you can judge for yourself." 

" His life is a strange one." 

" Very. He was once a poor fellow in New 
York, wandering about living by his wits. He 
was also at one time a menial in the employ 
of the London police department." 

" Were you ever at Hoboken, Minnie ?" asked 
Mr. Tenant. 

" No, sir," replied the little girl. " What of 
Hoboken ? I know where it is." 

" In that place is a small, mean hotel, built 
of wood, that is called ' Hotel Napoleon.' There 
at that hotel, now kept by a Frenchman, Louis 
Napoleon lived when he was in America. When 
you visit your friends in New York again, ask 
them to take you over and see it." 

" I will, certainly ; but was he poor at that 
time ? " 

" His means were quite limited, and it has 
been hinted that he could not pay his bill when 
he left." 

" Ha ; ha ! that is good for an emperor ! " 



86 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" But, father," asked Walter, " how did Louis 
Napoleon become emperor ? You said he was 
made president." 

" He was president for some years, until all 
became convinced that a republic could not ex- 
ist in France. Indeed it was a republic only in 
name. The press was proscribed, the people 
crushed, and the whole nation was dissatisfied. 
A.t length, the famous coup d'etat put an end to 
the republic, and — " 

" Coo-de-tah ! What does that mean ?" asked 
Minnie. 

" Why, it means," replied Mr. Percy, " a mas- 
terly stroke of policy, which I will explain. Na- 
poleon found that the officers of his army were 
plotting against him — that the republican leaders 
were bent on his overthrow. So by one grand 
blow he determined to consummate his ambitious 
schemes.. On the night of the first of December, 
1851, a public reception was given by the presi- 
dent, which was attended by the most distin- 
guished men of the chamber of deputies, and 
of the army. It was the day before the blow 
was to be struck against Napoleon, and late at 
night the lamps were extinguished, and the 
foes of Napoleon departed to dream of success 
the next day. They had all been deceived by 
the bland manner of the president. But no 



FRENCH ROYALTY. 87 

sooner were they gone, than he issued an order 
for their arrest ; and before morning, every one 
of them was imprisoned." 

" Were they not brave men ? " 

" Yes, of course." 

" Why did they allow themselves to be ar- 
rested ? " 

" They were taken at a disadvantage, and 
resistance would have been useless. Some of 
them did make a show of opposition. General 
Changarnier, as the officials entered, snatched 
up a brace of pistols, and exclaimed, 'I am 
armed.' The officer told him it was of no use 
to resist, and he soon surrendered." 

" What others ? " 

" Colonel Charras, being captured in bed, re- 
fused to get up, refused to dress himself, and 
declared that they should take him as he was, 
if they took him at all." 

« Did they ? " 

" Yes ; they bundled him up in some blankets, 
and thus conveyed him to prison." 

" Were there any others ? " 

" Several ; and among them General Cavai- 
gnac, who was soon to be married to a Mademoi- 
selle Oclier. He dressed himself very politely, 
and went to the prison." 



88 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" How did the lady — Mademoiselle — what 
did you call her — feel about it ? " 

" She acted like a true lady. Cavaignac at 
once wrote to her as follows : ' You have youth, 
beauty, accomplishments, wealth ; a throng of 
admirers, young, and more meritorious than I 
am, surround you. Choose from among them, 
and you will be nearly as happy as you deserve 
to be — happier than I can make you.' " 

" What did the lady reply ? " 

" That her love for him was changeless." 

" Were they ever married ? " 

" Yes ; when the general was liberated, he and 
the lady went to the Archbishop of Paris to be 
married. The bride was a Protestant, and the 
ecclesiastic would not perform the service unless 
she would promise to have the children educated 
in the Catholic faith. She refused, and they went 
to Holland and were married there." 

" But, father," said Minnie, " you have not 
told us any thing about the empress. I am 
more interested in her." 

" I have wondered that you have not asked 
about her before." 

" Who is she ? " 

" She is a descendant of an ancient Scotch 
family, tracing her ancestry back to Sir Roger 
Kirkpatrick, who was intimately associated with 



FRENCH ROYALTY. 89 

oo^Q^Oo 

Robert Bruce. A descendant of Sir Roger, set- 
tled in Spain, married a daughter of Baron Gri- 
vegn^e, of Malaga. By this marriage he had 
three children, one of whom was married to 
Count de Teba, who afterwards inherited the 
title of Count Montijo. The youngest daughter 
of the Count and Countess de Montijo is now 
empress of the French nation, Eugenie Coun- 
tess de Teba." 

" How did the emperor become acquainted 
with her ? " 

" She was educated at the convent of Sacre 
Coeur, in Paris, and thus fell in the way of tho 
emperor." 

" I would like to know how she looks." 

" I can tell you," said Mr. Tenant. 

" Can you? If so, you shall have my thanks." 

" I saw to-day, in a London paper, a descrip- 
tion of her person," said Mr. Tenant, turning 
over the newspapers on his table. " Ah, here 
it is ; read it, Walter." 

Walter took the paper and read. " The em- 
press is about thirty years of age ; she possesses 
considerable personal attractions, but more in 
the style of English than of Spanish beauty. 
Her complexion is transparently fair, her fea- 
tures regular, yet full of expression. She is of 
middle stature, or a little above it, with, as no 



90 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

doubt Louis Napoleon has found to be the case, 
manners extremely winning ; her education is 
superior to that received generally by Spanish 
women who do not travel, and she is said to be 
what the Spaniards term graciosa, the French 
spirituelle. Her paternal fortune is, without be- 
ing considerable, yet suitable to the rank her 
family holds in Spain — that of grandees of the 
first class. Her mother, the Countess of Mon- 
tijo, has been for years at the head of the havt 
ton of Madrid, and her house has on more than 
one occasion been honored by the presence of 
royalty ; and those who are acquainted with 
Spanish manners well know such an honor, 
from its rare occurrence, is most appreciated in 
Spain. Formerly it was the custom to suspend 
a chain across the doorway of the house the 
king had visited, and the haughtiest hidalgo of 
Castile pointed to that most expressive symbol 
of devotedness with pride. The receptions of 
the Countess de Montijo at Madrid comprised 
all that was most select and distinguished in 
rank and eminence in Spanish society.'' 

" This is not very definite. What queen is 
she most like, Mr. Tenant ? " asked Minnie. 

" She is said to resemble Josephine more than 
any other royal personage." 



FRENCH ROYALTY. 93 

" Come, children," said Mr. Percy, " it is time 
you were both in bed." 

" What o'clock is it, father ? " 

" Nearly ten." 

Soon both children were in profound slum- 
ber, — kings, queens, and emperors being for- 
gotten. 

The next morning the whole party visited 
the Tuileries. Just as they were entering the 
yard, the emperor drove out with a mounted 
escort. The children both waved their hand- 
kerchiefs, and the monarch, observing it, saluted 
them in token of recognition, which pleased 
them very much. As they advanced, they saw 
a group of ladies on the Grand Stairs, and Mr. 
Percy whispered, " The empress ! " And so it 
was — Eugenie in company with the Queen of 
Holland and the ladies of the court. The 
gentlemen passed on, of course, but the chil- 
dren lingered, which the empress observing, 
kindly addressed them, and seemed quite in- 
terested when they told her they were Ameri- 
cans. She also pointed to the prince imperial, 
who was amusing himself with his nurse at a 
little distance. Then they ran after the gen- 
tlemen, who were waiting for them, Minnie 
exclaiming, — 



94 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

cx£*fc£oo 

" How beautiful she looks ! " 

Walter was as enthusiastic in his expressions 
of admiration, and both coincided with the gen- 
tlemen who thought the kindly recognition of 
the empress a very gracious act of courtesy. 
All day the children were talking about the 
empress, and their older friends were almost 
wearied with it. After this, they often saw the 
royal family riding out, though the emperor was 
seldom with the empress. Before they left the 
city, they also had the honor of a presentation 
to the royal family. In company with several 
others, some of whom were military officers, they 
paid their respects to the royal family, and saw 
the young prince imperial, who was born March 
16, 1856, and who is an object of much interest 
to the French people. 




PARIS BY DAY AND NIGHT. 95 



Chapter VI. 

PARIS BY SUN LIGHT AND GAS LIGHT. 

IT would take a long time to tell all the places 
visited by our party, for there are few cities 
in the world that have so many objects of in- 
terest, and so many attractive features. The 
children expected much pleasure, and so were 
pleased with almost every thing they saw. 
Sometimes, when they felt a little homesick, 
and failed to receive a letter from mother, or 
any of the friends at home, they would say, 
that to them Paris was not half so beautiful 
as Boston, and that they would give more for 
Boston Common than for all the pleasure 
grounds of France ; but those feelings would 
soon be lost in delight at the beautiful scenes 
and charming prospects that every where pre- 
sented themselves. 

One evening, Mr. Percy said to them, " Now 
we have been in Paris two weeks, and have 
seen many things of interest, and there remain 
many more to be seen. I propose that we be as 
systematic as possible in seeing what remain. 



96 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

Walter, what have you on your list, that we 
must visit ? " 

" Several places we have not seen yet, and 
some we have seen we must go to again." 

" Read your list down." 

" He probably has a whole list of tombs, or 
ruins, or catacombs, or something." 

" Certainly, I have something, Min. Let me 
read. 

"The Invalides, the — " 

" Invalids ? What, hospital patients ? " 

" Hush, Minnie ! The Gobelins, the — " 

" What Goblins — turkeys ? " 

" Be still, and let me read." 

" Minnie," said Mr. Percy, " be quiet while 
Walter reads. Your conduct annoys us as well 
as him." 

Walter read over a long list, and it was con- 
cluded to go out and see the various objects as 
soon as possible. So the next morning they 
started. They gave the driver of the carriage 
the names of the places to which they wanted 
to go, and he, taking the most distant first, 
drove out to the abattoirs of Montmartre. 

" What are the abattoirs ? " asked Minnie, as 
they rode along. 

" They are immense places for the slaughter 
of animals. We wish to go in and see them ; 



PARIS BY DAY AND NIGHT. 97 

oO^JOo 

but we will leave you in the carriage, if you 
wish." 

" I wish to see, though the sight may not be 
a very pleasant one." 

" You had better not go in ; it is not a very 
proper place for a little lady like you." 

" Why, pa, I can stand any thing." 

" Remember the Morgue, my child." 

" Ough ! " 

" I am glad we are going there," said Walter, 
" for ever since I have been here, I have desired 
to know how these thousands of people are fed." 

" It is a matter of some wonder, I admit. I 
have seen it stated that last year there were 
consumed sixty-two million pounds of meat of 
the various kinds." 

" Whew ! " 

" There were also drank here, last year, three 
million two hundred thousand gallons of wine, 
one hundred and seventy-seven thousand gallons 
of alcohol, forty-five thousand gallons of cider." 

" What drinkers ! " 

" There was also eaten four hundred thousand 
dollars' worth of oysters, one million seven hun- 
dred and fifty thousand dollars' worth of fish, 
fresh and salt, three million five hundred and 
fifty thousand dollars' worth of poultry, and 
three million seven hundred and eighty thou- 

VOL. III. 7 



98 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

sand dollars' worth of butter, besides many other 
things." 

" Well, pa, how does the consumption agree 
with the use of the same articles in New York 
and other American cities ? " 

" I have not statistics at hand to tell, but have 
seen it stated that there were consumed the 
same year in New York one hundred and fifty 
million pounds of beef alone, against sixty-two 
million pounds of all kinds of meat in Paris." 

" What is the difference in the population of 
the two cities ? " 

" Paris has one million five hundred thou- 
sand inhabitants, and New York has less than 
a million." 

They had now arrived at the abattoirs, and 
Minnie remained in the carriage while the gen- 
tlemen and Walter went in. They were pleased 
with the skill with which the cattle were killed and 
prepared for market, and with the extent of these 
sources of public sustenance ; and Mr. Tenant, as 
they returned to the carriage, declared that no per- 
son interested in sanitary matters of a city should 
neglect visiting these abattoirs when in Paris. 

They then drove to a very different place — 
the Hotel Royal des Invalides, or royal home 
for invalid soldiers, where there are several 
thousands of old soldiers, with some of whom 



PARIS BY DAY AND NIGHT. 99 

the children conversed, they being able to speak 
English. As they entered, they found a com- 
pany of Napoleon's old soldiers drawn up for 
review. Some had legs, and some had eyes ; 
but the majority of them were in some way 
disabled. 

" Who are these ? " asked Minnie. 

Her father told her ; whereupon she was much 
interested, and asked, " Did they fight beneath 
Napoleon's eye ? " 

" Yes ; and it is an affecting sight to see these 
old soldiers, whose faces will now kindle up with 
enthusiasm at the mention of Waterloo, Auster- 
litz, and Lodi." 

" Who is that, pa ? " cried the child, pointing 
to an elderly officer who was advancing. 

" It is Napoleon I. himself," cried Walter, 
turning in the direction in which his sister was 
pointing. 

" Hush, children ! " said Mr. Percy ; " that 
is Jerome Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother, the 
Ex-King of Westphalia." 

As he approached, he courteously saluted the 
party, recognizing them as strangers. Walter 
was much pleased, and could hardly believe that 
he was not in the presence of the great emperor 
himself, so much does Jerome look like the pic- 
tures of his illustrious relative. 



100 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

o-O^gtJCX) 

They all then began to look about the noble 
edifice. It was originally a magnificent church, 
and several buildings have been added to it, 
forming a grand hospital for disabled soldiers. 
In the centre beneath the dome is the tomb 
which is being prepared for the remains of Na- 
poleon. This tomb is a circular apartment sunk 
in the floor, forming a crypt which is open to 
the view from above, and a marble balustrade 
allows the spectator to go and look down upon 
the spot where the hero is to lie. This spacious 
and elegant gallery beneath the ground is worthy 
of the hero's fame. Statues, monuments, beau- 
tiful bass-reliefs, all vie with each other to add 
beauty to the sepulchre of imperial greatness. 
The coffin into which the body is to be put is of 
porphyry, a single block twelve feet long and six 
wide. The remains are not yet placed in this 
receptacle, but are in one of the chapels on the 
side of the building. There the conqueror lies 
in a black ebony coffin, his old hat that you see 
in all the pictures, and the sword he wore at 
Austerlitz, are lying on the coffin. Several 
stands of bullet-riddled, faded, blood-stained col- 
ors hang over the coffin, and these are all that 
remain of that mighty man ! this is the end of 
the conqueror ! 

The party wandered about the structure, en- 



PARIS BY DAY AND NIGHT. 101 

tering the tombs of Duroc and Bertrand, gazing 
0:1 the grand altar, or looking through elegant 
iron and bronze railing that separates the dome 
from the church, and admiring all they saw. 

" Why were Duroc and Bertrand thus hon- 
ored in being allowed a resting-place in such 
pomp here ? " asked Walter. 

" On account of their distinguished services to 
the emperor." 

" Who were they, pa ? " asked Minnie. 

" Duroc was a grand marshal, a strong friend 
of the emperor, and was killed at Bautzen, in 
1813. While he was dying, he was visited by 
Napoleon, to whom he said, ' My whole life has 
been devoted to you, and I only regret that I 
am about to lose it, because it might still be of 
service to you.' ' Duroc/ replied Napoleon, 
4 there is another world after this, and there it 
is that we shall one day meet again.' Duroc 
and Napoleon have met." 

" Who was Bertrand ? " 

" Why, Minnie, have you never heard of him ? 
Walter can tell you about him, I know." 

" Can you, Walter ? " 

" Yes ; he also was a grand marshal, as well 
as aid-de-camp to the emperor." 

" What is an aid-de-camp ? " 



102 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" He is one who receives from a general the 
orders, and transmits them to others." 

" Yes, I see." 

" Bertrand followed Napoleon to Elba, and 
also to St. Helena, and was with him in his 
dying struggles, and closed his eyes when he 
was dead." 

They spent some time at the Invalides, and 
then rode to the armory, or Artillery Museum, 
where they saw an immense number of models 
of all sorts of military articles, from a rifle to a 
huge fortification ; the real weapons, some old 
and rusty, dug up from battle fields, and some 
inlaid with gems, the gift of kings, and all the 
military ensigns usually found in such a place. 
Walter, as they left, declared that the Museum 
looked very much more like real, practical war- 
fare, than the armory in London Tower. With 
the remark the gentlemen coincided. 

" One place more let us go to to-day," said 
Walter, as they left the armory. 

" Where, my son ? " asked his father. 

" Hotel de Cluny." 

" Well." 

" I wonder what kind of a place that can 
be ? " said Minnie, half to herself, and half 
aloud. 

" You will see, sis." 



PARIS BY DAY AND NIGHT. 103 

<x£ig^oo 

So they drove on until they came to Cluny, 
once the residence of the abbots of that name, 
where they found a great many antiquities, 
which pleased Walter very much ; but which 
Minnie declared were not worth looking at. 
They also went into some old Roman ruins near 
by, called Palais des Thermes, formerly the resi- 
dence of several Roman emperors. They could 
all see that it must once have been a very stately 
and imposing edifice. Julian resided there when 
he was proclaimed emperor. 

This visit ended the day's work, and they 
were all glad to get to the hotel ; and after a 
late dinner, the children wrote a while, and then 
retired early to rest, the gentlemen going out to 
see Paris by gas light. 

" Where are we going now ? " said Minnie 
to her father, the next morning, as they rode 
out. 

" To the Gobelins.'' 

" What are they ? " 

"An immense tapestry manufactory, where 
the most exquisite articles of that kind are 
made." 

" But why call such an establishment ' The 
Gobelins ' ? " 

" The establishment is named for one Jean 



104 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

Gobelin, who commenced the business some four 
or five centuries ago. He was succeeded by 
several other private persons, and the whole 
establishment at length fell into the hands of 
the government; and one hundred 'and twenty 
hands are now employed in the manufacture of 
the most beautiful fabrics for the state." 

When they reached the place, they were ad- 
mitted at once, and taken first into the exhibi- 
tion rooms, where they saw several very rich 
pieces, softer and more exquisite than painting. 
The children gazed on them for some time, and 
the excellence of several they detected and 
pointed out. One especially seemed to draw 
the attention of Minnie. It was a scene from 
the history of Napoleon. He had arrived at 
the sad conclusion of obtaining a divorce from 
his beautiful Empress Josephine. Actuated by 
political motives, and impelled by an uncontrol- 
lable ambition, he had already taken the steps 
necessary in such a case. A letter is sent from 
one of Napoleon's marshals, announcing to the 
wife the plans of the emperor. This tapestry 
represents Josephine laying the letter before her 
husband, and appealing to him to deny its con- 
tents. The whole scene is one of touching 
beauty. Josephine is on her knees ; the tears 
are rolling down her cheeks ; the open letter is 



PARIS BY DAY AND NIGHT. 105 

in her jewelled hands ; while her whole counte- 
nance bears the marks of the most beautiful 
grief and anxiety. Napoleon stands before her, 
with scarcely less of sorrow on his own counte- 
nance ; and he turns half away, to hide his feel- 
ings. Without the door are listening figures, 
ready to catch the words uttered, and go away 
and spread them through the metropolis. The 
figures are as large as life, and wrought in a 
most perfect manner. 

" Did Josephine love Napoleon, Mr. Tenant ?" 
asked Minnie of that gentleman. 

" Yes, dear. She loved him with undying 
and untiring affection ; his battles she watched 
with the most painful interest ; and in all France 
there was not a truer heart than hers even after 
the sad divorce." 

" They were unlike." 

" Yes. She was lovely, gentle, and dove-like ; 
he was fiery, impetuous, and strong. She clung 
to him as the vine clings to the mighty oak." 

" Did he love her ? " 

" Yes, very much." 

" Why, then, did he divorce her ? " 

" For political reasons, which at some other 
time I will explain to you." 

They saw a great many pieces of this work, 
and then went into the rooms where it was 



106 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

oo>S<oc 

jeing manufactured. They saw the slow and te- 
dious process, and wondered how the men could 
have patience to work on so. They saw there 
portraits, most exquisitely wrought, of the em- 
peror and empress. As Minnie saw the latter, 
she cried, — 

" Hold me up, Mr. Tenant." 

" Where ? how ? what ? " 

" Why, to the empress's face ; I want to kiss 
her, she looks so life-like." 

Mr. Tenant held her up, and she kissed the 
silent but life-like lips, while Walter stood laugh- 
ing at her. 

They then rode to the Jardin des Plantes, a 
famous place, on which Buffon, the naturalist, 
has expended so much of his genius. This gar- 
den was laid out by Louis XIII., and has become 
a favorite resort. Here the children saw an ex- 
tensive menagerie, a collection of natural history, 
all kinds of plants, and a great many very inter- 
esting things. They wandered about so much 
here, that at the close of the visit they did not 
want to go any where else. They were very 
tired, though neither of them was willing to 
confess it. 

On the way home, they drove through the Place 
de la Bastille, where a commemorative pillar now 
stands. As they rode along, Mr. Percy gave the 




SCENE ON THE BOULEVARDS. 



PARIS BY DAY AND NIGHT. 109 

children a brief sketch of the old Bastille, of the 
enormities once committed within its walls, of 
the events of that dreadful clay when the enraged 
populace took it and destroyed it, and sent, as 
a memorial, a stone from its w T alls to every town 
in France. While the children sat in the car- 
riage the gentlemen went to the top of the pil- 
lar, from whence they had a fine view of Paris. 
When they came down, they told Walter that 
the gallery at the summit was all covered over 
with a wire netting, so that no person could cast 
himself off, and that the gallery is up two hun- 
dred and ten steps from the ground. 

As the children were waiting for the gentle- 
men, they were much amused at a man with a 
sort of exhibition, who, as he saw them waiting, 
came very near and began to show his automa- 
ton figures, a view of which is on the preceding 
page. 

One day in Paris was spent in seeing the 
churches, many of which are very interesting 
specimens of architecture, and not a few of 
which have peculiar and thrilling historical remi- 
niscences connected with them. The children 
looked with wonder on the vast outlines and 
noble proportions of Notre Dame, which stands 
on the site of an ancient Roman temple, and is 
nearly ten centuries old. Two towers surmount 



110 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

the structure, from which a fine view of Paris is 
obtained, in one of which is an enormous bell, 
weighing thirty-two thousand pounds, that sends 
out its iron tone like the voice of a giant. A 
guide went in with our friends, and as he took 
them about he said to Minnie, — 

" See here ! " 

" What now?" 

" You are standing on the very spot where 
Napoleon was married to Josephine." 

"Ah!" 

" Yes ; and I will show you the robes worn by 
the pope when he married them." 

" What pope ? " 

" Pius VII." 

" What are these bones ? " asked Walter, a 
moment after, as they saw in a side chapel two 
small bones of the back, and between them a 
bullet. 

" They are bones from the body of the arch- 
bishop, who was killed in a late revolution." 

" What, was he a fighting man ? " 

" No. He was an amiable man, and his fall 
was much lamented. When blood was flowing 
in the streets of Paris, he went out, regardless 
of his own safety, to stay the crimson tide. 
Wherever he was recognized his authority was 
respected, and he moved from street to street, 



PARIS BY DAY AND NIGHT. Ill 

<x>>§^oo 

quelling the fury of the misguided populace. 
But at length, while climbing over a barricade 
hi one of the streets, a random shot was fired, 
which killed him." 

" And what does that group of statuary repre- 
sent ? " said Minnie, pointing to a piece over a 
tomb. 

" That statuary," said the guide, " is of ex- 
traordinary origin. The wife of an Austrian no- 
bleman had a singular dream. She saw her hus- 
band in a coffin, and engaged in a fearful struggle 
with embodied death. He called for her to help 
him ; but she was powerless, and the monster 
performed his work. She awoke, and her dream 
was over ; but in a few days she learned that, at 
the very hour of her sleep, her husband was 
accidentally killed. She had a group of stat- 
uary made to represent her dream ; and here it 
stands, to remind every beholder of his own con- 
flict with the powers of death." 

They saw many other things which interested 
them very much ; and when they went out they 
saw several men, with long brushes, well wet 
with holy water, to touch those who might desire 
the application. They also went to St. Germain 
PAuxerrois, founded by Childeric, in 580, and 
which has been sacked and rebuilt several times 
since ; — it was the bell on this church that 



112 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

sounded the signal for the commencement of the 
massacre of St. Bartholomew's day ; — to St. Eu- 
stache, one of the most beautiful in Paris, and in 
the vaults of which many eminent personages 
are buried ; to St. Koch, the richest parish in 
the city, which is distinguished for many revo- 
lutionary scenes, and to many others of interest 
to the stranger. 

" Let us go to the palaces to-day," said Minnie 
one morning, just as they were starting out. 

" What palaces ? " asked her father. 

" All of them." 

" Well, if that is agreeable to the rest of the 
company, we will." 

In accordance with this, they directed their 
steps to the Tuileries, the residence of the 
French monarchs, and for an hour revelled in 
the halls of kings. The children were delighted 
with the elegance of the apartments, the gold 
and silver hangings, the silk and damask dra- 
pery, the immense chandeliers that light as the 
sun these halls at night, and make one feel, as 
he walks through the palace, like one in an 
enchanted castle. But the memories of the 
past are grander than these ancient halls them- 
selves. Here Napoleon and Josephine — that 
greatest of heroes, that most amiable but moet 



PARIS BY DAY AND NIGHT. 113 

unfortunate of wives — lived and walked. In 
this chamber they slept ; in that they formed 
together those plans which made the name of 
Bonaparte famous in all lands. Here, when the 
empire was overthrown, and the republic of an 
hour was stranded, lived Louis Philippe. Here 
on that fatal day when anarchy surged around 
his throne, and innumerable voices were shout- 
ing for his blood, met Thiers, Barrot, Emile de 
Girardin, and a company of true men, to con- 
sult with the perplexed and agitated king ; and 
it was from these halls that one of the best of 
kings, the father of his people, went forth, re- 
peating as he crossed the Place de la Concorde, 
" Une grande infortune ! " Then the palace was 
turned into barracks ; coarse, rough citizens 
thronged the sleeping and dressing rooms of 
the queens and empresses ; and for ten days 
the filthy herd revelled in their beastliness be- 
neath columns which had echoed with the merri- 
ment of nobles and kings. The present emperor 
now resides in this palace. The private apart- 
ments of Louis Philippe are used as the bed 
chamber and dressing rooms of the empress, 
and in her absence are shown to strangers. 
They are the same rooms which once were occu- 
pied by Marie Antoinette, and are consecrated 
VOL. ni. 8 



114 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

O-O^®^ 00 

by several affecting scenes in the life of that 
gifted but unfortunate woman. 

Then they went to the Louvre, near by, where 
they walked through the various halls and gal- 
leries, some silent and deserted, some gorgeous 
with splendor and life-like with pictures. 

" What room is this ? " asked Walter, as they 
entered a most magnificent apartment, in which 
were crowds of admiring people. 

" This is the famous Apollo Gallery," replied 
his father. 

" Famous for what ? " 

" Why, among other things, for its size — one 
hundred and eighty feet in length, and twenty- 
eight in breadth ; and lighted, as you see, by 
twenty-one great windows. You also see how 
beautiful the ceiling is." 

" Then, Walter," said Mr. Tenant, " there are 
many historical reminiscences connected with 
this room. It is associated with the old Bourbon 
monarchs, with Louis Philippe, with Napoleon, 
with Marie Antoinette, with Josephine, and with 
the present emperor and empress. It was in 
this room that the empire was given to Louis 
Napoleon by the French senate." 

They admired it very much, and then passed 
into other galleries, but lingered longest among 
the works of art which they found. Minnie 



PARIS BY DAY AND NIGHT. 115 

made the acquaintance of a lady artist, who, in 
the immense picture gallery, was painting from 
one of the old pictures, and found her to be 
an English girl, who was passionately fond of 
this art. 

They stood in the balcony where, it is said, 
Charles IX. stood and fired at Protestants, at 
the massacre of St. Bartholomew's day, which 
the young reader would do well to read about 
in some reliable historical work. 

From the Louvre they went to the Palace of 
Luxembourg, built by Mary de' Medici, a struc- 
ture finished in the most elaborate and elegant 
style, where there were galleries of paintings, halls 
of sculpture, and schools of art. About a year 
after the Percy family visited the palace, a fire 
broke out, and various parts of the edifice were 
consumed — the beautiful senate house, with 
its dome of glass, fell in. 

As they stood looking upon the finished walls 
and elegant ceiling of this palace, Minnie re- 
marked, — 

"Walter, Harry St. Clair would not believe 
you, if you should give him a description of this 
magnificent place." 

" Why not, sis ? " 

" I know he would not." 

" What makes you think so ? * 



116 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" Because # the day before we left home, I met 
him in the street, and told him what beautiful 
buildings we expected to see abroad, and he 
said that we should not see any such elegant 
buildings as we thought we should ; and he also 
told me that the Music Hall was more elegant 
than any building in the old world." 

"Ha, ha, ha!" 

" He said a Mr. Somebody told him so." 

" Ha, ha, ha ! that is good for Harry St. 
Clair ! " 

One day, when the party were riding out, they 
came to the Chapel of St. Ferdinand, a little 
church-like looking structure, into which they 
entered. 

"I believe, children, I promised to tell you 
something about the Duke of Orleans, father of 
the Count of Paris — did I not ? " 

" Yes, yes, you did, pa ! " said Minnie. 

" 0, yes, you so promised," said Walter. 

" Well, I will now redeem the promise." 

" We should be glad to hear how he died." 

" The story is one of much interest. He was 
out, riding in his carriage, when the horses 
became unmanageable ; and, in endeavoring to 
leap to the ground, his foot was entangled, and, 
being precipitated to the earth, his skull was 
fractured. He was taken up and carried into a 



PARIS BY DAY AND NIGHT. 117 

»0>©<00 

grocery on the spot where the chapel now 
stands." 

" Did he die alone ? " 

" No ; his father, Louis Philippe, and the other 
members of the royal family, were soon on the 
ground ; but the unfortunate young man died 
in a few hours after." 

" In a grocery, did you say ? " 

" Yes ; and afterwards the grocery was taken 
down, and a chapel, dedicated to St. Ferdinand, 
was erected on the spot." 

They looked about the chapel, which has seats 
for about fifty persons, and is fifty feet long, built 
in Gothic style. Opposite the doorway is the 
altar, and over it a statue of the Virgin and 
Child. On the left side of the chapel is another 
altar. On the right is a beautiful group of stat- 
uary, representing the prince on his death bed, 
with an angel kneeling over him. This angel 
was the work of the Princess Marie, the deceased 
sister of the duke, who little dreamed that she 
was fashioning the marble for the monumental 
tomb of her brother. Behind the altar is the 
little room in which the prince died, remaining 
nearly as at that time. A few rough chairs, a 
confessional and crucifix, constitute the only 
furniture. On one side is a mournful picture 
representing the death scene as it actually oc- 



118 THE PERCY FAMILY, 

curred. The duke is stretched upon a bed, 
pale and bleeding. The king holds his hands, 
with a countenance full of the deepest grief; 
the queen and many of the nobles are looking 
on, weeping in the most abject sorrow ; while a 
robed priest, with a benign countenance, adds 
to the effect of the scene. 

There was also another chapel visited by the 
children, which interested them very much — 
the Chapelle Expiatoire. 

" What is this, pa ? " asked Minnie. 

" I will tell you. When the revolution had 
beheaded Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette, they 
were put into coarse coffins, and buried in a lit- 
tle cemetery belonging to the church of La 
Madeleine. On the records of that church is 
now a charge like this : ' For the coffin of the 
ividoiv Capet, seven francs ; ' and this was the 
whole sum laid out for the interment of the 
gifted, beautiful, and high-born queen, whose 
word once made nobles tremble." 

"0, how sad!" 

" The ground was afterwards purchased by a 
stern royalist, who planted it as an orchard, that 
the traces of the graves might not lead to a dis- 
covery, fearing that, in some wild and terrible 
moment, the populace might dig up the bones, 
and insult even their decay." 



PARIS BY DAY AND NIGHT. 119 

" Would they have done that ? " 

" They might, and he wished to guard against 
it. When monarchy was restored, the ground 
was purchased by the government, and a neat 
chapel erected over the spot where the king and 
queen were interred*" 

" What an interesting spot ! " 

" Yes ; and let me tell you, children, some- 
thing about a person whom I met in this chapel 
some years ago." 

" Who was it ? " asked the two children in 
one breath." 

" The Duchess of Angouleme, who, within a 
few years, has been called from earth. She 
was the daughter of Louis XVI. and Marie 
Antoinette." 

" Do tell us about her." 

"I do not know much except the general 
facts. At the time of the murder, she was but 
a child, and, with her brother, the dauphin, 
about whom I have told you, then only seven 
years old, was shut up in a dark and gloomy 
dungeon. The boy was soon let out to a brutal 
keeper, who had orders not to kill him, but to 
get rid of him. Hence every indignity was 
heaped upon him. For a whole year his clothes 
were not changed ; and for six months his bed 
was not made. Under such treatment the 



120 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

»O^OC 

young dauphin died in June, 1795. His sister 
was at length allowed to go to Austria, and she 
lived until a few years since." 

There were a great many places visited by 
the party while they were in Paris ; and among 
others, Hotel de Ville, the magnificent town 
hall, or city hall, the Palace of Industry, the 
building erected for the world's exhibition in 
the Champs Elysees, the Royal Library, several 
public gardens, and many other places and ota 
jects, all of which Walter wrote down a descrip-. 
tion of in his journal, that by this time hac| 
become a very portentous volume. 



fffrfl 



THREE WAYS FOR SUNDAY. 121 



Chapter VII. 

THREE WAYS FOE SUNDAY. 

A PERSON accustomed to New England hab- 
its, who has been educated to revere the 
Sabbath and respect religion, finds little in a 
Parisian Sunday congenial with his feelings and 
tastes. The public squares and pleasure grounds 
are thronged with people, soldiers are marching 
in the streets, shops are open, and workmen are 
employed as usual, and the quiet solemnity of 
the Sabbath day, as observed in New England, 
is not known. Walter and Minnie, who at home 
were accustomed to the utmost circumspection 
on the Sabbath, were shocked at what they saw 
and heard. They found it almost impossible to 
comply with the request of their kind mother to 
spend the day abroad as religiously as they were 
accustomed to at home. Whether they kept in 
their rooms or went out, it was all the same ; 
and their young hearts were often pained at the 
wanton desecration. 

One evening, as they sat conversing with the 
gentlemen of their party, Walter exclaimed, — 



122 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" I must write a letter to my Sunday school 
teacher. I told him I would." 

" Well, why don't you, and not be always 
talking about it ? " chimed in Minnie. 

" I must ; but I have seen so many things that 
I don't know what to write about." 

" Why don't you tell him what we saw the 
other Sunday afternoon, when we were out ? " 

" I guess I will." 

So when the gentlemen went out to spend 
the evening with some friends whom they had 
found that day, Walter locked the doors, and 
went to writing, while Minnie threw herself on 
the lounge, and began to think about home — 
sweet home. What Walter wrote will be found 
in the following letters. 

Paris, 1858. 

Mr. Edwards : — 

A conversation I have had with father and 
Minnie to-night reminded me that I promised 
to write you a letter during my absence. The 
long-neglected promise I sit down to fulfil. I 
have seen so much, that I can hardly tell what 
will interest you most. My sister suggests that 
I write you an account of what we saw one Sab- 
bath day in the Champs Elysees, as illustrating 
Parisian life. You must not think, from the 



THREE WAYS FOR SUNDAY. 123 

OO^OC 

account I give, that I have learned to violate 
the Sabbath. We were passing through the 
grounds, and what I saw I could hardly help 
seeing, and the view has only made me love the 
New England Sabbath more. 

Sunday is the great day for this place ; and 
from two o'clock till midnight these gardens 
are full of people. I can give you no better 
idea of them than to describe what I saw on the 
first Sabbath afternoon I was in Paris. Imagine 
a spot larger than the Boston public garden, flat 
and level, well gravelled, and finely shaded with 
trees of all kinds. Running through the grounds 
from Place de la Concorde on one side to the 
Triumphal Arch on the other, is one of the 
most beautiful drive-ways on the globe. In vari- 
ous parts of the grounds, magnificent fountains 
are playing in the sun, sending their jets high 
into the air, and forming rainbows in the spray. 
The drive-way is full of carriages. I made an 
estimate, and found that two thousand pass by 
a given spot in an hour, several abreast some- 
times — cabs, hacks, noblemen's carriages, and 
vehicles of all descriptions. Wandering through 
the grounds, or sitting on chairs, — iron chairs, 
let at a cent apiece, — or airing themselves in 
different ways, are from twenty-five thousand to 
thirty thousand people. The amusements are 



124 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

very singular and very superficial. There are 
several pavilions, open in front, with a stand 
which is all decorated with mottoes, and banners, 
and flowers. On these stands are gayly dressed 
girls, and exquisitely furnished young men, who 
are singing, in operatic style, to all who may 
come to hear. A rope was stretched around an 
area one hundred feet square, and within this 
area are a larger number of chairs and little 
tables. A liquor house is near at hand, and 
as soon as any one enters the area and takes a 
seat at the table, a servant will go and ask 
what kind of drink is wanted, the person being 
expected to drink to pay for his seat. Any one 
can stand outside, in full view of the sing- 
ers, without paying or drinking. The singers 
are extravagantly dressed, both as to richness 
and style, and some of them are very fine 
singers. There are three or four of these 
places in full exhibition, in different parts of 
the grounds. 

We pass along and come to a number of 
wooden ships, which are passing up and down, 
over and over, round and round, moved by ma- 
chinery — the machine being a human being 
hold of a crank. There are. a dozen of these 
in different parts of the grounds, all at work in 
fandango fashion. Then we come to the wooden 



THREE WAYS FOR SUNDAY. 125 

horse crank, turned in the same way, and the 
rider is permitted to go round several times for 
a sou — one cent. The ships and horses are all 
gayly decorated with flags. 

Then we meet troops of children, boys and 
girls, with air balls, trundling hoops, and play- 
ing at various games. Then we see little mimic 
theatres, where automaton figures come out and 
dance, or have a stage play, while a great coarse 
fellow below does the talking for them. Chairs 
at a cent a piece are let, and an old woman oc- 
casionally passes round the plate to get the cop- 
pers. A dozen of these theatres are seen, with 
about one hundred persons, including priests and 
soldiers, gathered before each of them. And 
all through these crowds, men are passing with 
bright cans of coffee on their backs, which they 
sell to all who wish that beverage, ringing a bell 
as they pass from group to group. 

Then we move on and find here and there 
little stalls decorated gayly for the sale of fancy 
articles, from a prayer book to a jewsharp. As 
we turn from looking at these, a little carriage 
with a child in it, drawn by eight goats, crosses 
our path, the owner of the establishment keeping 
it company, letting it to parents who wish, by the 
hour or half hour, to amuse their children by 



126 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

o-o^S^oo 

giving them a ride. There are several of these 
about the grounds. 

Then we see a table with gingerbread placed 
on it ; the table being raised, the gingerbread 
is placed at the edges, the cakes, some larger, 
some smaller, about two inches apart. Over 
the table is a revolving shaft. By paying a sou, 
one can give the swivel a shove, and if the end 
stops over a piece of cake, the winner can take 
it ; if it stops over a vacant place, the man loses 
his sou. 

Then there are billiard tables where men and 
women are playing for toys of the value of one 
or two cents. Sometimes pieces of cake, or a 
cigar, is the stake. Then there are men pitch- 
ing quoits ; shooting matches, where the shooter 
uses a wooden gun, and the object to be shot at, 
a few feet distant, a number of pipes, or a pitch- 
er, or some plaster image. Here are little eat- 
ing houses, and there machines for weighing 
people, and lifting machines, and breathing 
apparatus for the expansion of the lungs. 

And thus all over these grounds are these 
light, foolish amusements, which would satisfy 
no other people on the face of the earth ; and 
these are engaged in, not by children merely, 
but by hundreds and thousands of adults, not 
on one day of the year, but on every Sabbath, 



THREE WAYS FOR SUNDAY. 127 

— and almost every day of the year. My heart 
sickened at the sight of so much frivolity and 
nonsense. 

Now, Mr. Edwards, I would like to have you 
read this letter to the class, and tell them that 
though I walked with father through these 
grounds on a holy day, and saw as much as I 
have described, I did not entertain any desire 
to mingle with those sports, for I constantly 
felt a sensation of pity and sorrow, thinking 
of Him who said, " Remember the Sabbath day 
to keep it holy." 

Walter Percy. 

" Min, wake up," said Walter, as he finished 
his letter. 

" Wha — I can't," yawned the child. 

" You must." 

" Don't plague me, Walter." 

" Well, wake up. I have finished my letter, 
and want to read it to you." 

" What letter ? " 

" To Mr. Edwards." 

And Walter commenced reading, but had not 
proceeded far before Minnie was sound asleep ; 
and he laid aside the sheet, and took another, 
and commenced a letter to the clergyman of 
the church where his father attended. We 
will read it, 



128 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

Paris, 1858. 

Dear Mr. K. : — 

I have just finished a letter to my Sabbath 
school teacher, telling him what I saw one Sab- 
bath afternoon in the Champs Elysees ; and as 
father has gone out and left me at the hotel, I 
spend a part of the evening in writing to you. 
I presume it will interest you most, if I tell you 
how I spend the Sabbath day. I will tell you 
something about it. 

One Sabbath we went to church at the Amer- 
ican chapel, in Rue de Berri, a comely little 
edifice near the Triumphal Arch. Rev. Mr. 
Seely, an American clergyman, preached an 
excellent discourse ; and we saw among the 
people present several Americans who came 
over in the ship with us. We also saw Mr. 
Mason, the minister of our government ; and it 
seemed good, after being in Paris several days, 
and hearing so little of our own tongue, to listen 
to a service conducted in English. Another 
Sabbath we went to the Oratoire, and heard the 
famous M. Coquerell, who, though an old man, 
is very eloquent. I could not understand much 
of his sermon, but I saw that the people were 
very attentive. Then we went one day to hear 
Frederick Monod, whose sweet and gentle tones 
ring in my ears even now. As we returned 



THREE WAYS FOR SUNDAY. 129 

»o>©fcx> 

from this church, father gave us a long account 
of Adolphe Monod, the brother of the preacher, 
who dijd two years ago, universally lamented by 
the Protestants of France. 

There is much in Paris that I like, and much 
that I do not like. The intense frivolity of this 
nation strikes a matter-of-fact traveller with great 
force. The avocations, pleasures, and gayeties 
of the inhabitants seem to be so frivolous, that 
of the most dazzling show one tires in a short 
time. And yet this is doubtless one of the most 
beautiful cities in the world, and presents such 
a contrast to London, that the change seems 
pleasant. In London the clouds are generally 
hanging low, the atmosphere filled with smoke 
and dust, the houses black, the streets narrow, 
the windings intricate, and the lanes filthy and 
unclean. Here the skies are bright, the streets 
clean and wide, the buildings bright and lively 
looking ; the squares, columns, arches, and dec- 
orations numerous, and instead of long, winding 
lanes and avenues, we have the broad, beautiful 
Boulevards, which stretch all around the city. 
In London, the plague-breeding Thames fright- 
ens the traveller from its bridges, banks, and 
waves ; in Paris, the Seine, blue and rapid, in- 
vites the stranger to gaze upon and bathe in its 
rippling bosom. 

vol. in. 9 



130 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

But England has the Sabbath and the Anglo- 
Saxon mind, and I know you would like it bet- 
ter than France. But I am forgetting that you 
have been in Europe, and know much more 
than I do about both of these countries. So I 

need write no more. 

Walter Percy. 

" Now, a little letter to Charlie," said Walter 
to himself, as he took up a new sheet of paper. 

" What did you say about Charlie ? " asked 
Minnie, half awake and half asleep. 
" I said I was going to write to him." 
" Well, write away. I wish I had the little 
fellow here." 

" So do I ! Wouldn't I hug him ? " 
Walter wrote to his little brother as follows : 

Little Charlie : — 

How are you, my boy ? Are you tired of 
waiting for brother and sister to come home ? 
Well, we shall get back soon, and have a great 
many things to tell you that will make you 
stare. We have seen about every thing here, 
and expect to see the rest before we get back. 
We have been into palaces and prisons, seen 
kings and paupers, and have had enough to keep 
us laughing or crying ever since we left home. 



THREE WAYS FOR SUNDAY. 131 

We expect to have an addition to our party 
when we leave Paris. Colonel Sanborn, of Ohio, 
with his wife, are here, and wish to travel north 
with us ; so tell mamma that Minnie will have 
a lady to counsel her. Colonel Sanborn is a fussy 
old gentleman, who runs to the door or window 
every time he hears a drum and fife ; who says 
he came over here to see the trainers, and who 
seems to be a military enthusiast. His wife is 
like him, keeps her smelling bottle in her hand, 
and seems to be very conscious of her impor- 
tance. Minnie, two or three times, has been 
detected laughing at her curls, and ribbons, and 
ruffles, and at her fussy ways. The other day 
we went to the Madeleine church. The service 
was nearly done when we entered. The church 
was all occupied by chairs, and these were let. 
If a person went and sat down, he was expected 
to pay one sou for it — a sou is one cent. So 
Mrs. S. crowded herself into a chair, and left 
the rest of us far in the rear. The man who 
had the care of the chairs soon saw her. He 
was a man very small in stature, but very large 
in dignity. He began to jabber to the old lady 
in French, and she replied in English. She did 
not understand him, nor did he understand her ; 
and the faster he talked in one language, the 
faster she talked to him in another. 



132 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

o-o>8<c-c 

" One sou for the chair," he said to her in 
French . 

" No, no, I don't kneel ; I'm a Protestant," 
she replied in English. 

" I don't comprehend," he replied, shaking 
his head. 

" I tell yon I won't kneel ! " she answered, 
looking daggers at him. 

" I will have pay for the chair." 

" I won't be imposed upon ! " 

" One sou." 

" Get out of the way ! " 

" One sou." 

" Mercy ! " exclaimed the little lady, bound- 
ing up with the greatest indignation, and seiz- 
ing the arm of her husband she hurried from the 
church, supposing all the time that the official 
wanted to force her to kneel. This gentleman 
and lady will go north with us. 

And now, Charlie, I presume you are more 
interested in knowing what we have bought for 
you. I need not tell you, for a fortnight ago 
father despatched a large box of articles to Bos- 
ton, and before my letter gets to you, it will 
doubtless have arrived, and been opened. There 
are presents for mother, for aunt Celia, and aunt 
Sarah, and for some other persons ; some ste- 
reoscopic views in the bottom of the box, which 



THREE WAYS FOR SUNDAY. 133 

you must not injure at all. Keep tliem safe in 
uij writing desk until I return. I hear father 
and Mr. Tenant, who have been out this even- 
ing, stumbling along the passage ; so — But I 

must close abruptly 

Walter. 

The gentlemen gave Walter an account of 
their evening entertainments, related to him 
some amusing incidents of Mrs. Sanborn, who 
seemed quite unfortunate in getting into trouble 
about the language; and then asked Walter to 
read the letters he had written. He did so, 
and when he had finished, Mr. Tenant asked 
him, — 

" Walter, why don't you have your daguerreo- 
type taken on leather, and sent home, as you had 
one before ? " 

" Can it be done here ? " 

" Of course it can. The very art derives its 
name from a French io.** 

" Ah, who ? " 

" Daguerre. After various experiments, he 
made his art public in this city, in 1839." 

" Had no experiments been made before ? " 

" Yes ; in 1770 there were some experiments 
made by German chemists. For many years pre- 
vious to the time of Daguerre the action of light 



134 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

on nitrate of silver was known ; but he gave the 
art a degree of perfection that it had not attained, 
and was pensioned by government." 

The next day Walter and Minnie went out 
and had daguerreotypes taken on cloth, and 
put in the letter to Charlie ; and at night the 
former wrote in his journal, in reference to the 
contents of the letters he had sent home, they 
describing three Sabbath scenes, " My letters 
looked three ways for Sunday ;" and while the 
happy party pressed on, those letters were on 
their way to a much-loved distant land towards 
the setting sun. 



JFi 



VERSAILLES. 135 

<X>>^OC 



Chapter VIII. 

VERSAILLES AND THE COUNTRY. 

" /^fc^E week more remains for Paris," said 

VJ Mr. Tenant, one morning, as our friends 
were sitting at the table in the hotel. 

" And what have we to do ? " asked Mr. 
Percy. 

" We must ask Walter. What say you, 
Walter ? " 

" Well, we have pretty nearly i done ' the city, 
as some say, and we have all our excursions into 
the country to make yet." 

" True, and I move that we go to Versailles 
to-day," replied Mr. Tenant. 

" I agree," replied Mr. Percy. 

" So do I," said Walter. 

" So do I," added Minnie, putting down her 
coffee cup. 

" Agreed," said they all. 

So, having finished breakfast, they all went to 
the cars, which start from a very fine depot, 
nearly new, and were soon on their way to 
Versailles, that retreat of royalty and art. The 



136 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

ride through the country was delightful, and the 
whole party were in excellent spirits. On leav- 
ing the cars, Colonel Sanborn and lady, who had 
come on in the same train, joined them, and to- 
gether they pursued their way to the attraction 
of the place — the palace. As they went along, 
Walter said, — 

"Mrs. Sanborn, do you know that there are 
seven miles of pictures in one pile of buildings, 
and whoever should give two minutes to the 
examination of each individual work of art, 
would require eight days to complete hk 
task ? " 

" 0, dear me ! " said the lady ; "I shall die 
going through. Why, I feel all tired out 
already." 

Here she stumbled a little against a stone> 
and launched out into a tirade against the 
abominable French pavements, declaring that 
if she was in power at Versailles she would 
have the streets in better order. 

" She would do a good deal — wouldn't she, 
Walter ? " said Minnie, aside ; and the laughter 
that spread over the face of the lad was checked 
by a stern look from his father. 

They reached the palace, and went through 
the various galleries, and exhausted the day in 
looking about at the sculpture and paintings. 



VERSAILLES. 139 

They noticed that Napoleon figured very con- 
spicuously in many of the paintings. He is 
seen at the battle of the Pyramids ; distributing 
the cross of the Legion of Honor at Boulogne ; 
making a triumphal entry into Paris ; receiving 
the deputies of the government which proclaimed 
him emperor ; haranguing his army previous to 
battle ; receiving the delegates and keys of the 
city of Vienna ; giving orders before the battle 
of Austerlitz ; having an interview with Francis 
II. ; entering triumphantly into Berlin ; bidding 
adieu to Alexander ; being married to Maria 
Louisa ; crossing the Alps over the winding 
Simplon ; guiding his army at St. Bernard ; 
storming the bridge of Lodi ; at Marengo, at 
Wagram, and in a hundred scenes and places 
calculated to fire the beholder with military 
enthusiasm. 

The children admired the gardens, that are 
laid out with the most exquisite taste. They 
saw bowers with bronze groups, water-spouts, cas- 
cades, marble grottoes and cool retreats, all exe- 
cuted with the utmost skill. 

" What are these ? " asked Walter, approach- 
ing a group of edifices embowered in the deep 
foliage. 

" The Great and Little Trianon." 

" 0, yes, I know." 



140 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

o-o>s><oo 

" I don't ; so tell me," cried Minnie. 

" They are little private residences erected by 
Louis XIV., as quiet resorts for his friends and 
favorites." 

" With such a great palace as this, I should 
not think he would want such little houses as 
these seem to be." 

" Almost all kings have their retreats. The 
Queen of England goes to the Isle of Wight, 
the court of Frederick William to Potsdam, the 
present Emperor of France to St. Cloud, and so 
the old kings used to come here." 

In one of the stables near the Trianon, they 
saw the state carriage of Napoleon III., and 
Minnie thought it was much more elegant and 
tasteful than the huge, cumbrous state coach 
of England. It was first used at the coronation 
of Charles X., and the original cost and repairs 
on it amount to more than one hundred thou- 
sand dollars. 

They had wandered about a long time, and 
the day was declining, when Mr. Percy said, — 

" Children, it is time to return to Paris." 

" Well, pa," said the little girl, " let us take 
one run more through the palace." 

" How much time have we, Walter ? " 

" An hour, sir, before the cars start." 

So they walked hastily through the halls and 



VERSAILLES. 141 

galleries of the palace. And here they paused 
in the apartments once occupied by Napoleon, 
and leaned on the very table at which he once 
sat. The children were also much affected when 
they came to the private apartment of Marie 
Antoinette, and stood at the little door of the 
private passage, where her faithful guards were 
cut down by the mob, who had come out to take 
her to Paris. 

As they conversed upon these scenes, Walter 
said, — 

" Minnie, you have often wished you were a 
queen — what do you think now ? " 

" I would run the risk," replied the spirited 
girl. 

" I am afraid you might have a hard time, 
Min," said Mr. Tenant. 

" I would try." 

" The past would be a dark shadow. I have 
learned from reliable statistics, that ' of the royal 
and imperial wives of France, there are but 
thirteen out of sixty-seven on whose memory 
there is no dark stain of sorrow or sin. Eleven 
were divorced ; two died by the executioner ; 
nine died very young ; seven were soon wid- 
owed ; three were cruelly treated ; three were 
exiled ; three were bad in different degrees of 
evil ; the prisoners and the heart-broken made 



142 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

up the remainder. Twenty, who were buried at 
St. Denis since the time of Charelmagne, were 
denied the rest of the grave. Their remains 
were dragged from the tomb, exposed to the 
insults of the revolutionary populace, and then 
flung into a trench, and covered with quick- 
lime.' " 

The last place visited was the opera room, 
where the court are witnesses of operatic per- 
formances. 

" This is the room where the royal banquet 
was given to Queen Victoria, on her recent visit 
to France," said a French gentleman to Mr. 
Tenant. 

" Ah ! " 

" Yes ; and it was decorated with much ele- 
gance. The queen, the emperor and empress 
sat in yonder balcony, and I thought the former 
looked sad." 

" Sad at what ? " 

" Probably at the idea that she was the sover- 
eign of so plain a people, so much beneath the 
French in all matters of taste." 

Mr. Tenant turned away to conceal a smile. 

The party returned to Paris, much pleased 
with their visit to world-renowned Versailles. 

The next day, they all went to Fontainebleau, 



VERSAILLES. 143 

OO^OC 

the private palace of Napoleon, where he signed 
the articles of abdication in 1814. This palace 
is more associated with the great emperor than 
any other, and a visit to it is delightful. Inter- 
nally it is like all the palaces of France, a vast 
series of galleries of painting and sculpture, mag- 
nificent apartments, and gorgeous abodes. It was 
in this palace that Napoleon confined Pope Pius 
YIL, against his will, eighteen months, treat- 
ing him with the greatest courtesy, yet keeping 
him in close confinement, and preventing his 
escape. And here, too, after he had divorced 
Josephine, did the emperor come and endeavor to 
be happy with Maria Louisa, whose apartments 
still remain as when she occupied them. The 
forest of Fontainebleau, designed as a royal 
hunting ground, contains forty-two thousand 
acres, and is sixty-three miles in circumference, 
partly natural and partly artificial. 

Nothing can exceed the interest of this excur- 
sion. The country all around is beautiful, and 
the ride very pleasant. The children, as they 
rode along, compelled the gentlemen to tell them 
much that they did not know before about the 
wonderful man so intimately connected with 
this place. 

Another excursion was to St. Cloud, the sum- 
mer residence of the present court. The chil- 



144 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

dren found the place very delightful ; and they 
also saw Eugenie walking in the garden with 
her lady attendants. They also went to the 
famous porcelain manufactory at Sevres, where 
elegant articles are made for royal families, and 
for others who can afford to pay the enormous 
price. The party were much interested in the 
manufactory, as well as the rich display of the 
show rooms. They also went to St. Denis, 
where are the remains of the Benedictine ab- 
bey built by Dagobert I., who was buried there 
638, and to many other places of interest in the 
vicinity of Paris. 

They had now been in Paris several weeks, 
and had worked very hard at sight-seeing. Wal- 
ter's journal had been growing constantly, and 
there were many lengthened descriptions recorded 
there which are not found in these pages. He 
had written full and detailed accounts of many 
notable buildings and places as well as men. He 
had a complete sketch of the Pantheon, that 
noble edifice, which has in turn been dedicated 
to science and to God ; the Chamber of Depu- 
ties, the Palace of Luxembourg, in which are 
galleries and halls of surpassing splendor ; the 
medical hospitals, which abound, and are of the 
highest order ; the many fine churches, which 



VERSAILLES. 145 

they visited — St. Vincent de Paul, St. Eustache, 
and St. Sulpice ; the magnificent Hotel de Ville, 
the town hall of Paris, rivalling Persian fables 
in splendor ; the Palace of the Legion of Honor, 
the Napoleon Barracks, the bridges on the river, 
the Palace of Justice, the Tower of St. Jaques, 
the Corn Market, Porte St. Denis, and Porte St. 
Martin, the Bourse, the Place Yendome, the 
Fountain of the Innocents, and many other 
buildings and places. 

" I think we had better leave Paris soon," 
said Mr. Percy, one evening, to his friend 
Tenant. 

" So do I." 

" Well, when shall we start ? " 

"At your convenience." 

" Then we can go to-morrow." 

Walter said " well," but Minnie thought she 
should find no such beautiful places as Paris, 
and wished to stay another week, but was over- 
ruled. The conversation was interrupted by a 
knock on the door, and a servant entered. 

" A letter for Mr. Percy." 

" Glad to see it." 

" Who is it from, pa ? " cried both of the 
children. 

" Prom home." 

" Good, good ! " 
vol. ni. 10 



146 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" Well, get away from my arms, and let me 
open it." 

The seal was broken, and out dropped another 
letter. The first was from Mrs. Percy, directed 
to her husband and children. The other was 
for Minnie, and was thus directed : — 



J&iss JAinni 




(Percy 




in (Paris 




at the 


hotel 




France. 



* Well done," said Minnie ; " what ignoramus 
has written to me now ? " 

" Open and see." 

She tore off the envelope and opened the 
note, and found a letter printed with a pen. 
Her eye fell on the signature, — Charlie, — 
and she burst into tears, pressing the word to 
her lips. 

" What a goose ! " said Walter ; " read your 
letter, or let me." 

"Gooff; I'll read." 

She read as follows : — 



VERSAILLES. 147 

Cambridge : 

Sister Minnie, come home. I am tired of wait- 
ing. What are you doing so long, away off so 
far ? Mamma drops a tear on my cheek every 
night, when she hears me say my prayers — she 
did not cry when you were at home. I go to 
school every day, and print on my slate. The 
teacher says "I do it well" — don't I ? We have 
been down to hingham and hull this summer ; 
but we wanted you, and mother says she would 
rather be at home. Now do come home, Min- 
nie ; I'll never plague you any more — now do. 
Tell Walter that rover licks my face just as he 
used to his, and goes to school with me, and 
makes the boys laugh. I wrote this letter all 
myself. Rose Thornton helped me spell the 
words, and Bill Ray put in the stops. Tell 
Walter I want him to come home — I want 
him to lick Ed Harris like every thing, for he 
smashed my kite up this forenoon, when I only 
made faces at him. Here's Bill just come in to 
put in the rest of the stops. Don't tell father 
about Ed Harris. 

Charlie. 

When they had all done laughing at this 
epistle, Mr. Percy asked, — 

" What do you think of your letter, Minnie ? " 



148 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" 0, I think if that is a specimen of your boy 
there, we had better go home and take care of 
him." 

Mr. Percy then read parts of his own letter, 
containing a number of facts of interest, and 
some good advice for the children. " Stay," 
said the unselfish mother, " as long as the tour 
can be of any benefit to the health of body or 
mind of yourself or children. The days pass 
slowly here, though we find enough to do, and 
your welcome home will be a warm one." 




THE BELGIC CAPITAL. 14.^ 



Chapter IX. 

THE BELGIC CAPITAL. 

IT was a beautiful day in summer, the birds 
singing, the flowers shedding their fragrance 
on the air, and all nature seeming full of joy, 
that our friends rode out of Paris, through the 
north of France, into Belgium. The hills were 
covered with vineyards, and the level country 
was waving with grain. As they rode along, 
Minnie exclaimed, — 

" See that." 

" See what ? " asked her father. 

" Why, over in that field are hundreds of 
women at work ; and there is one holding a 
plough." 

" Yes ; the women do much of the field work 
here." 

" It's too bad ! And see those lazy men lying 
down there in the shade." 

" You will find, Minnie," said her father, 
" that the women of America do far less hard 
work than those of any other nation. You no- 
ticed that in the hotels of London and Paris, 



150 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

responsible posts are occupied by women, and 
as we travel about on the continent, we shall 
see much more of this." 

" Mill, look there," cried Walter. 

" What ? " 

" Look over in that field." 

Minnie looked, and saw a woman holding a 
plough drawn by two cows. 

" That is too bad ! " she exclaimed, stamping 
her foot on the car floor, in indignation. 

"Don't expend your indignation too fast, 
Min, for if things go on at this rate, you will 
see a woman and a cow yoked up together, and 
a lubberly man driving them." 

" If we do, I shall move that we turn back, 
and go no farther among the barbarians." 

" Ah, a smart girl you are. If Mrs. Colonel 
Sanborn was in this car, you could have some 
one to help you." 

" Well, she ain't, and I'm glad ; I'm plagued 
enough with two men and one boy." 

" One b-o-y ! " replied Walter, reproachfully. 

The cars now stopped, and they found they 
were at the line between France and Belgium. 
So they were obliged to get out, and have 
their passports visaed, and their luggage exam- 
ined. The custom-house officers, with swords 
hanging at their sides, were hurrying about ; 



THD BELGIC CAPITAL. 151 

armed policemen and soldiers were lounging 
around, and every body seemed to be conscious 
of the importance of the occasion. 

" Walter, what barbarous place have we got 
into now ? " 

" Valenciennes, I believe." 

" Well, I should think from the number of 
swords and soldiers, that they anticipated an 
invasion by the Turks." 

Walter laughed. 

" There, they have got hold of our baggage ; 
let us follow with the keys." 

The baggage was carried into a room, and 
there opened. The gentlemen also came to 
look after their bags. Mr. Tenant was the last 
to open his valise ; and when he did so, a little 
bearded officer put in his hand, stirred up the 
contents, and finally brought up from the bot- 
tom a large bottle of medicine which the owner 
had procured for emergencies. The liquid was 
of the color of brandy, and of a hot, smarting 
taste, and a mouthful was a dreadful infliction. 

" What's vat ? " asked the official, suspiciously. 

" Something for my own use." 

" Vat is him ? " 

" Something to drink." 

" Vat you say ? " 

" Taste and see," said Mr. Tenant, who was 



152 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

oo>3^0o 

. somewhat annoyed by the conduct of the officer, 
who thought it was brandy, and wanted some. 

"Bon" (good,) said the man, putting the bot- 
tle to his lips. 

But he had no sooner done so, than he 
dropped it with an angry exclamation, and for 
a few moments he flew about like a crazy man, 
sputtering and scolding. 

" What is the matter ? " asked Mr. Tenant. 

Again the man sputtered out a whole volume 
of French words, which to our travellers had no 
meaning, so rapidly and vehemently were they 
uttered. 

" Served him right," said Mrs. Sanborn, who 
came up at the moment ; " for see how he has 
tumbled my clean dresses. He ought to drink 
something." 

They were, however, all soon in the cars 
again, riding on towards Brussels, at which 
place they arrived about the middle of the 
afternoon. 

" What hotel have you on your list, Walter ?" 
asked his father. 

" Hotel Bellevue." 

44 Hotel Bellevue," said Mr. Percy to the driver, 
whose hack they had taken ; and on they rode, 
Colonel Sanborn and lady following in another 
carriage. 



THE BELGIC CAPITAL. 153 

They found the hotel to be one of the best 
they had yet found in Europe, and were soon 
comfortably situated, in large, airy rooms, hav- 
ing from the windows very fine views ; and our 
travellers unanimously voted that it was well 
named. On descending to the table d'hote, (the 
common table,) they found the young ladies, 
who sat at the first table in the Niagara on her 
ocean voyage, and soon Minnie was having a 
fine chat with them. In ten minutes she had 
told them what she had seen, and how much 
she had enjoyed herself. 

When evening came, our party, with Colonel 
Sanborn and lady, walked out around the king's 
palace into the public parks, and through many 
of the streets. As they stood before the royal 
palace, the king came out, and rode by them. 
They uncovered their heads, and the king re- 
turned the salutation. 

" What is his name, pa ? " asked Minnie. 

" Leopold." 

"Is that all?" 

" No — George Christian Frederick Leopold." 

" What a name ! " 

" He is a good king, my child." 

" Tell me about him — will you ? " 

" Well, dear, I do not know much about him. 
Perhaps Mr. Tenant can tell you." 



154 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" What say, Mr. Tenant ? " 

" All the knowledge I have of him is at your 
service. You know we told you when we were 
at Windsor Castle of Princess Charlotte, whose 
monumental tomb you saw." 

" Yes, you said you would tell me, but you 
have never done it yet." 

" Then we have not fulfilled our promise — 
have we ? " 

"No." 

" Well, let the princess go now. This king 
was her husband. He is the brother of the 
Duchess of Kent, and — " 

" Who is she ? " 

" Is it possible that you have forgotten ? " 

" 0, 1 remember ; the mother of Victoria." 

" Yes ; and this king is the queen's uncle." 

" I should think the English people would es- 
teem him on account of the Princess Charlotte." 

" They do not esteem him much." 

"Why not?" 

" When he married the princess, he received 
a pension from the British government of fifty 
thousand pounds per annum. The princess 
lived about a year, and then died, and the Eng- 
lish wish him to relinquish the pension ; but he 
will not." 

" How long has he been king of the Bel- 
gians ? " 



THE BELGIC CAPITAL. 155 

" Since 1831. He was, for a year or two, king 
of Greece." 

" These facts are very interesting, and I will 
try to remember them. Perhaps I shall know 
enough to tell Walter something by and by." 

"You must learn fast then, Min," replied 
Walter, who overheard the remark. 

" I am learning fast. I feel as if my head 
would burst with the knowledge I have been 
crowding into it for the past three months. You 
put all your knowledge into your journal ; I put 
mine into my head." 

" Goody ! what a head you must have ! " 

In walking about Brussels, they found the 
city to be a miniature Paris, reminding them 
at every step of the gay, beautiful capital of 
France. They found the same out-of-door habits, 
the same cafe system, the same language, and, as 
far as they could see, the same social habits and 
customs. As they went into the public pleasure 
grounds, they found drinking and playing of all 
kinds ; and at bedtime, they all returned to 
Bellevue, tired and ready to sleep. 

The next morning they were up early, and 
all took breakfast together, Colonel Sanborn and 
lady being with them at the table. They all 
agreed to ride out together, Mrs. Sanborn de- 
claring that she did not like the Bulgians, and 



156 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

wanted to see all there was of their city in the 
shortest time possible. 

They went first to the Cathedral, a large edi- 
fice with considerable attraction, and spent an 
hour there very profitably. While they were pres- 
ent a religious service was held, and a gorgeous 
ceremony took place, in which the children were 
very much interested. A view of this Cathedral 
will be found on the opposite page. Its massive 
and elegant towers only indicate the elegance 
of the interior ; and as they came out, Walter 
lingered after all the rest had passed on, gazing 
upon the noble proportions of this edifice, erected 
for the worship of the great God. 

They also went to Hotel de Ville, a very old 
building, with a very high and elaborately- 
wrought spire, and to many other buildings of 
note and interest. As they were riding about, 
Minnie all at once exclaimed, — 

" Pa ! " 

" What, child ? " 

"Is not this the place where lace i* manu- 
factured ?" 

" This is one place where it is made." 

" What, Brussels lace ? " 

"Yes." 

" 0, why can't I see it made ? " 

" You can." 




THE CATHEDRAL OF BRUSSELS. 



THE BELGIC CAPITAL. 159 

" How ? " 

" We will go to some lace manufactory, where 
you can see how it is done." 

They rode to the banker, to whom Mr. Percy 
had letters, who gave them the address of several 
lace manufacturers, and also letters of introduc- 
tion to them. They found one of the factories 
very readily, and entered the exhibition room. 
A lady who was in attendance was very kind, 
and gave them all the facilities they wanted for 
viewing the goods. 

" 0, what a beautiful shawl ! " exclaimed 
Minnie, as the lady held up an elegant fabria 
before them. 

" It be goot," said the woman. 

" What does it cost ? " 

" Eight hundred francs." 

" How much is that, Walter ? " 

" About one hundred and fifty dollars." 

" About ! You may well say about ! You 
are some way from the exact amount," said 
Mr. Tenant to the lad. 

" What a price ! " exclaimed Minnie. 

" It be long to make him," said the woman. 

" How long did it take to make it ? " 

" It take une femme (one woman) year and 
half year." 

" 0, a year and a half ! " 



160 THE PERCY FAMILY. 
»o>e<oc 

" You buy him ? " 

" No ; pa could not afford that." 

Leaving the exhibition room, they were taken 
into the manufactory. In one room they found 
sixteen girls working lace. Their eyes were 
red, and their fingers seemed to move wearily 
and slowly ; and our friends looked on with 
pity. 

" Do they work it so ? " asked Minnie, draw- 
ing close up to Mr. Tenant. 

" Yes, dear." 

"I do not want to wear Brussels lace any 



more." 



" Why not ? " 

" Because, whenever I see it, I shall think of 
these poor girls." 

" You will forget this." 

" No, never ! " 

" I used to think," said Mr. Tenant, " that a 
great profit was made on lace ; but when I see 
how slow and tedious the process of making it 
is, I wonder that it is sold so low." 

They visited several other manufactories of 
lace, and then returned to the hotel, dined, and 
made arrangements to visit Waterloo the next 
day. It was curious to see Walter negotiate 
with a hack driver, who supposed, as he was 
trading with a boy, he could take the advantage 



THE BELGIC CAPITAL. 161 

of him. But Walter asked to seethe legalized 
tariff of prices, and held the man to the regula- 
tions, which were definite and explicit, as to what 
a driver should have for a visit to Waterloo. 
The gentlemen were much amused at the way 
in which Walter managed the matter, and, when 
he had made the bargain, complimented him 
highly on his success in bringing the man to 
proper terms, and not allowing him to take the 
advantage of him. 

" You have not travelled in vain, Walter," 
said Mr. Tenant. 

" I ought to learn something by what I see," 
replied the boy. 

" Certainly ; but some people may travel for 
years, and not learn enough to get through 
Europe without being cheated every where." 

" They cannot be of the Percy family, I think," 
chimed in Minnie. 

" No, no ! " replied Mr. Tenant, laughing. 

And so they were provided with a carriage 
and driver at a reasonable rate. 
VOL. III. 11 



162 THE PERCY FAMILY 



Chapter X. 

THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 

THE children were up early on the morning 
of the day when they expected to visit 
Waterloo. Napoleon could hardly have hailed 
the sun of that morn with more expectation 
than did our hero and heroine. 

"Father, it is daylight," was Minnie's salu- 
tation. 

"Well, what of it?" 

" Why, Walter and I have been up an hour." 

" You are not as wise as you might be." 

" Why not ? " 

" Because, as you have a hard and long day's 
work before you, you should have slept as long 
as you could." 

" But how could I sleep ? " 

" You could have remained in bed, and not 
been up disturbing me an hour before sun- 
light." 

" But Waterloo, you know." 

" Plague take Waterloo ! " 

" Plague took it, pa." 



THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 168 

00>@<OC 

" What ? " 

" Plague took it June 18, 1815, Walter says, 
and we are going to take it to-day." 

" Why, child, how you run on — are you 
crazy ? " 

" No, pa ; but I guess Walter is, for he was 
giving orders to an imaginary army in the hall 
an hour ago, and he has had breakfast on the 
table a long time — and — and — 0, dear, how 
he acts ! " 

" Well, I suppose I must get up." 

" Of course you must." 

" Run out now, daughter." 

" Yes, sir ; Walter is acting Napoleon down 
in the hall, and I'll go down and help him. I 
can be Mrs. Napoleon ; " and the happy girl 
ran out of her father's room, nearly upsetting 
Mrs. Sanborn, who was passing the door. 

" Tut, tut ! ba, ba ! What a vicious girl you 
are ! You ought to be corrected for a felonious 
assault." 

" I didn't mean to do it, Mrs. Sanborn." 

" Yes you did. That is the way children treat 
grown people now." 

" Please forgive me ! " said the child, with 
tears in her eyes. " I would not willingly treat 
an elderly person with disrespect." 
Tut, tut! don't call me old ! " 



a 



164 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" No, no, I didn't, please, ma'am." 

" Yes you did ! " 

"Mrs. Sanborn," said a deep voice behind, 
" you should maintain the dignity of the family 
name. And as for you, Miss Percy," addressing 
Minnie, " I shall report you to your father." 

Minnie ran back in tears to her father's apart- 
ment, and that gentleman, having overheard the 
whole conversation, smoothed down the soft hair 
of his daughter, wiped the tears from her eyes, 
and told her not to mind about the matter, but 
to be very kind to the lady, when they met 
again. 

After breakfast, the whole party, with the 
Sanborns, started for Waterloo. The day was 
very fine, and the ride from Brussels a delight- 
ful one. The country was fragrant with the 
incense that Nature offers to her God, and all 
were in the most excellent spirits, as in two 
carriages they rode along. 

" "Well, Walter," said his father, " you have 
not told us what bargain you made with this 
driver." 

" I thought I had, sir." 

" No. How many miles did he tell you it was 
to Waterloo ? " 

" Twelve miles." 

" What did he charge you ? " 



THE FIELD OP WATERLOO. 165 

"Twenty-two francs." 

" Quite reasonable for so nice a carriage, two 
good horses, and his own services." 

"I thought so." 

Just then a man with a wooden leg stumbled 
out from a house at the wayside, and asked 
charity. Walter threw him a franc, and Mr. 
Tenant gave him a small piece of money, for 
which he seemed very thankful. 

" It seems to me there are a great many beg- 
gars on this road," said Minnie. 

" There is another — a blind man sitting by 
the roadside." 

" Give him some money, Minnie ; you did not 
give the other one any thing," said Walter. 

They soon found that the road all the way 
along was beset by beggars. Some were crip- 
ples, some blind, and many of them loathsome, 
forlorn, pitiable objects. It seems that these 
beggars creep to the Waterloo road, knowing 
that many strangers visit the field every day, 
and as these persons are generally in easy cir- 
cumstances, the beggars expect to reap a rich 
harvest. At almost every turn they met some 
poor creature appealing for aid, and long before 
they reached Waterloo, the children had given 
away all their spare change. 

When about four miles from the battle field, 
they began to see the guides, who ran alongside 



166 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

o-0>®<00 

of the carriage, throwing in their cards, and beg- 
ging for employment. They were neatly dressed 
with blue frocks, and almost all of them pre- 
tended to be the sons of old soldiers. 

" Now, Walter," said Mr. Percy, " select a 
guide for us." 

" Well, let me look at them," replied the lad. 

" Why don't you take, that one ? " said Min- 
nie, pointing to an interesting young man who 
ran along, jabbering in a tongue they could not 
understand. 

" He does not speak plain English." 

" Well, that one over on the other side." 

" I don't like his eye." 

" Fudge ! Don't like his eye ! " 

" There is my man, pa." 

" Where ? " 

" That one. Come here, my good fellow." 

The man came, and handed the following 
card : — 



WATERLOO GUIDE. 

Sergeant J. MUNDA, 

AN ENGLISHMAN, 

Late 1th Hussars, 

THE OUNTLY G-TJIIDE 

WHO SERVED IN TEE BATTLE. 



THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 167 

" What do you ask ? " said Walter. 

" How long do you propose to stay ? " 

" I cannot tell. We wish your services for 
the day." 

" That will be five francs." 

" Cheap enough ; climb up with the driver." 

The man did so, and they were soon entering 
the village of Waterloo. They left the carriage 
and driver at a mean inn, and with Munda went 
towards the field. 

" Now, pa, as we walk along, I want you to 
tell me about the battle of Waterloo. Walter 
has told me some things, and I want to know 
more, so that I shall understand what I see." 

" You know when the battle took place." 

" Yes ; June 18, 1815." 

" It is an interesting story, Minnie. On the 
night before that battle, the English army was 
encamped on the field, and the officers were 
enjoying themselves in the city of Brussels. A 
magnificent ball was held in the capital that 
night ; and just as the assembly was gathering, 
word was brought to Wellington, who com- 
manded the English army, that Napoleon was 
approaching. Without informing his officers of 
the fact, he commanded them to retire from the 
festivities at an early hour. But in the evening, 
while the dancing was going on, and mirth and 



168 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

merriment abounded, the intelligence spread 
that the French were advancing. At once a 
feeling of seriousness, if not of consternation, 
spread over the assembly, and the ball soon 
ended." 

" Yes, pa, I remember to have read something 
about that in the reader at school." 

" What did you read ? " 

" I cannot tell ; but I know it was some poetry 
about ' Belgium's Capital,' and 'a ball/ but what 
it was I do not remember." 

" Walter, do you remember any thing that she 
refers to ? " 

" Yes, sir. I think she means Lord By- 
ron's description of the Duchess of Richmond's 
ball." 

" Can you repeat any of it ? " 

" I'll try, sir. 

1 There was a sound of revelry by night, 

And Belgium's capital had gathered then 

Her beauty and her chivalry, and bright 

The lamps shone o'er fair women and brave men ; 

A thousand hearts beat happily ; and when 

Music arose with its voluptuous swell, 

Soft eyes looked love to eyes that spoke again, 

And all went merry as a marriage bell : 
But hush, hark ! a deep sound strikes like a rising knell ! ' " 

" Pa, what was that knell ? " asked Minnie. 



THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 169 

oo^Xoo 

" Can you tell her, Walter ? " 
" Yes. 

■ But hark ! that heavy sound breaks in once more, 
As if the clouds its echo would repeat ! 
And nearer, closer, deadlier than before ! 
Arm ! arm ! It is — it is — the cannon's opening roar ! ' " 

" Good, Walter ! " said Mr. Tenant. 

"Now, pa, proceed with the battle," added 
Minnie. 

" Let me see — where did I leave off? 0, 1 
know. The whole night before the battle, the 
rain poured down in torrents. The French 
army was drawn up in front of Hougoumont, 
and the English fronted on a small county 
cross road, on higher ground, and in a much 
more favorable position. On the ground, the 
guide tells me, it will be easy to see that Na- 
poleon went into the battle under many disad- 
vantages, and exposed to many serious difficul- 
ties growing out of the marshy and wet ground 
on which his forces were stationed. Each army 
had a considerable reserve force which was to 
be brought on, and each general knew about 
the time he should want it. Blucher with the 
Prussian army, and Grouchy with a tried French 
force, were held back, to be ready at any moment 
to turn the tide of battle." 



170 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" How many soldiers did Napoleon have ? ' : 
tl Sixty-seven thousand men, and two hundred 
and forty pieces of artillery." 
" How many had Wellington ? " 
" About sixty thousand men." 
" Did Napoleon really expect to conquer ? " 
" Yes ; the hero entered upon the conflict 
with the highest hopes. ' The enemy's army,' 
he said, ' is superior to ours ; there are, how- 
ever, nine chances in our favor to one against 
us." On the morning of the 18th, Wellington 
rode over and had a full conference with Blu- 
cher, unwilling to trust to a messenger ; and 
that general was made fully aware of the plans 
which were that day to be carried out. The 
purpose of Napoleon was to overwhelm the Eng- 
lish before the Prussians arrived. Early in the 
forenoon the terrible engagement commenced, 
and soon became general along the whole line 
of both armies. The Chateau of Hougoumont 
was taken and retaken ; the trees in the forest of 
Hougoumont were riddled with balls, and the two 
finest armies the world ever saw were engaged 
in mowing down each other. Napoleon had 
never fairly tried his skill with an English army, 
and often during the day expressed his admira- 
tion of the noble bearing of the English troops. 
As the day wore on, the advantage was decidedly 



THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 171 

with the French. The Duke of Wellington, as 
if conscious that he could hold out but little 
longer against the terrible assaults of the French, 
was heard to say, ' that Blucher or night would 
come ! ' About sundown the Prussians appeared 
in sight. For a while, neither army knew what 
the new force was ; Wellington believing it to 
be the advance of the army under the Prussian 
field marshal, and Napoleon thinking it was 
Grouchy. The conduct of Grouchy cannot now 
be explained. He had thirty-eight thousand men 
under his command. He could hear the can- 
nonading of Waterloo ; he had received orders 
from Napoleon to hurry to the scene, but waited 
in his encampment, toying with a handful of 
Prussians, until the fate of France was decided. 
In Grouchy Napoleon had always placed the most 
implicit confidence ; he had ever found him true, 
and had no idea of being deserted now. The 
army under Grouchy knew that they were ex- 
pected on the field. General Yandamme and 
others asked permission to advance, but were 
not allowed to do so. Grouchy doubtless proved 
a traitor, though most historians have charged 
him with imbecility, rather than treachery. 

" When Napoleon knew that it was the Prus- 
sians, instead of the French, that had arrived, 
and that Grouchy was not at hand, he at. once 



172 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

gave up all for lost, but continued fighting like 
a madman. His great mind could foresee the 
results of his defeat, and he determined to be 
victorious or die on the field. His last resource 
was the famous charge of the French Guard. 
' This, gentlemen,' he said to them, as he pointed 
towards the British lines, ' is the road to Brus- 
sels ; ' and though they knew they were rushing 
to instantaneous slaughter, they answered with 
a shout, ' The emperor forever ! ' which was 
heard as far as the British lines. But the die 
was cast, and that noble Guard rolled back bit- 
ing the dust in agony ; and soon the whole 
French army, wounded and cut to pieces, was 
flying in disorder from the field. Had Blucher 
not arrived for another hour, or had Grouchy 
appeared simultaneously with him, the result of 
the contest might have been different, and 
Napoleon might still have been master of the 
field." 

" Do not the results show us that the defeat 
of Napoleon was for the best ? " asked Walter. 

" Yes, children, men generally believe it best 
that Napoleon was defeated, and his stupendous 
disaster is regarded as a wise act of Providence ; 
but not a*few of the greatest and best men of 
the world have felt that the result of that battle 
was a misfortune." 



THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 173 

" I remember," said Walter, " reading that 
even Robert Hall, an Englishman, said, ' When 
I heard of the result of the battle of Waterloo, 
I felt as if the clock of the world had gone back 
six ages.' " 

They had now reached the field, and passing 
by the cottage where relics are sold, they stood 
upon the spot where that dreadful battle was 
fought. 

" This does not look as I thought it would," 
said Minnie. 

" I had no idea formed of the looks of the 
field," replied Walter. 

That the young reader may know how the 
field looked on the day when our visitors saw 
it, we give the following extract from Walter's 
journal : — 

" The field of Waterloo, at the present time, 
presents a unique and singular appearance. A 
huge mound two hundred feet high, the top of 
which is reached by a rude flight of steps, is in 
the centre of the field. This mound is com- 
posed of earth taken from the surface of the 
field, which has been dug down for this pur- 
pose several feet. Hence, the huge pyramid is 
literally composed of bones, skulls, pieces of 
armor, cannon balls of friends and foes. The 



174 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

pyramid is surmounted by a huge Belgic lion, 
on a pedestal which reaches to a depth of 
two hundred and fifteen feet. The circumfer- 
ence of the mound at the base is one thousand 
six hundred and eighty feet ; and the whole 
structure cost four million francs, and required 
the labor of two hundred men for four years to 
build it." 

The children climbed up to the top of the 
mound, although when they reached the summit 
Minnie was panting for breath. Walter went 
higher than the rest of the party : he climbed 
up and sat on the back of the lion, and while 
there made quite a patriotic speech to those who 
were on the mound below. 

As they stood on the mound the whole field 
was in view before them, and the guide pointed 
out to the eager party the noted localities. The 
situation of the Chateau of Hougoumont, the 
farm house of Haye Sainte, the position of the 
respective armies, the spots where notable events 
occurred, were described with minuteness and 
accuracy ; and they stood for some time gazing 
in the different directions, and talking over the 
events of that day of blood. Then they de- 
scended the hill, and went to the different 



THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 175 

oo>@<Oo 

places, read inscriptions on the various monu- 
ments, and gathered relics of the battle. 

" Hallo, what is this ? " said Minnie, as she 
found a piece of bone, which looked like a part 
of a human arm. 

" A bone of some poor fellow who was killed 
that day," replied Walter. 

" Look here, look here — a relic, a relic ! " 
shouted the little girl. 

" What now, sis ? " 

" See here," she said, pointing to a bullet 
embedded in the bone. 

They all gathered around her, and as they 
examined the partially decomposed bone, the 
bullet fell out. 

"A French bullet," said the guide. 

" What makes you think so ? " inquired Mr. 
Percy. 

" It is smaller than those used by the English 
— one third smaller." 

" Give it to me, will you, Minnie ? " asked 
Walter. 

" No, indeed ! " 

" I should think you might ; you don't care 
any thing about relics." 

" I care about this, and would have you 
know, Mr. Antiquarian, that I shall keep it." 

" How selfish I " 



176 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" Selfish ! I should think I was, indeed. 
Will you give me your piece of Melrose Abbey, 
or the old button that the soldier at Greenwich 
told you was on a coat he wore in the battle of 
Trafalgar, or those mementoes that you obtained 
in Paris, or — or — any of the rest ? " 

" Don't mind, Walter," said Mr. Tenant ; 
" I will cut you a cane in the forest of Hou- 
goumont." 

" Thank you, Mr. Tenant. Let Min keep her 
bullet." 

" I think I shall, until I get to Cambridge," 
was the reply. 

Mr. Tenant fulfilled his promise ; a stick, that 
Mr. Percy afterwards had mounted for his son, 
was cut, and taken away as a relic ; besides 
which several military ornaments were pur- 
chased of the guides who had found them, and 
thus all the members of the party were able to 
bring away some memento of the battle field. 

They then went to the cottage before men- 
tioned, where they saw many articles that had 
been taken from the field of battle, such as 
muskets, bayonets, cannon balls, swords, pieces 
of armor, and many other things, at which they 
looked with much interest. Some of these 
things were rusted with blood, and all bore 
evidence of that strife which changed the fate 



THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 177 

of nations, and affected the destiny of a whole 
continent. 

Somewhat weary they all retired from the field 
to the inn, where they found a table set for them, 
which did not look very inviting. 

" What do you charge for dinner ? " asked 
Walter of a servant, who could talk English. 

"Five francs — extra for strawberries and 
cream." 

" Whew ! " 

" Well, if you don't want it, you can leave 
it ! " 

" You must remember, Walter, that charges 
here are high, and travellers are expected to 
pay an exorbitant sum at such places." 

" But look at the table, pa ! " 

" I see it ; cold meat and — and bread." 

They sat down and made xhe best dinner they 
could under the circumstances, and it must be 
confessed that Walter's indignation was some- 
what reasonable. After dinner they all walked 
together to the church, filled up with tablets 
and monuments to the memory of the men who 
fell on that ensanguined field, and which all 
travellers visit when at Waterloo. And the visit 
to the church finished the work of the day. 

" Come, driver, l this is the road to Brussels,' 
as Napoleon said to his soldiers on the day of 

vol. ni. 12 



178 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

00^,00 

battle," said Mr. Percy, pointing in the direc- 
tion of the city. 

"Oui" (yes,) replied that responsible per- 
sonage. 

They discharged and paid the guide, entered 
the carriage, and all the way to Brussels the 
children were plying the gentlemen with ques- 
tions about Waterloo, Napoleon, Wellington, and 
almost every other place and person noted in the 
campaigns of the great emperor. 

" How do you suppose Wellington felt when 
the battle was over, Minnie ? " asked her 
father. 

" He must have felt very nicely, I think." 

" Why ? " asked Mr. Percy. 

" Because he had not only conquered the 
greatest of generals, but had made a great name 
for himself." 

" Very true ; but he hardly would have 
wished another such battle. He said to Lord 
Fitzroy that evening, after victory had crowned 
his efforts, 6 1 have never fought such a 
battle, and I trust I shall never fight such 
another.' " 

" That is strange ! " 

"Not very strange, either. The risks were 
so great, the contest so severe, the losses so im- 
mense, that he did not wish another," 



THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 179 

" The next might have resulted differently," 
added Walter. 

" Yes ; the English were never fully free 
from fear of Napoleon until he was dead and 
buried." 

" Do they fear Louis Napoleon ? " 

"Not much." 

"Does he not contemplate an invasion of 
England ? " 

" He must be insane if he does." 

" But, father," said Walter, " did you not 
notice when we were in Paris, how bitter the 
lower classes of the people are towards the Eng- 
lish?" 

" Yes. There is enough in the real position 
of the two countries to inflame them against 
each other. The monuments, triumphal arches, 
and pillars, that decorate London and Paris, are 
commemorative, to a considerable extent, of vic- 
tories over each other ; and the military idols of 
each nation — Bonaparte on the one side, and 
Wellington on the other — obtained victories, 
each, which the other can look upon only with 
feelings of sorrow or hatred." 

" I have heard," chimed in Minnie, " that if 
you mention the word ' Waterloo ' to the boys 
in the streets of Paris, they will grit their teeth, 
clinch their fists, and tell you that the time is 



180 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

not far distant when that stain will be blotted 
out, and the injured honor of France vindi- 
cated." 

" That may be," replied her father ; " but as 
time rolls on, that feeling becomes less and less, 
and as the nations are brought nearer together, 
and Christianity exerts a more decided influence, 
the old hatred will expire." 

" And yet I should think, from what I have 
read," said Walter, " that the emperor does now 
have, or has had, some intention of invading 
England." 

"Well, he will probably abandon it, as his 
uncle did." 

" A man in Paris told me that one day Louis 
Napoleon asked one of his most skilful generals 
whether he could land troops safely at Wool- 
wich." 

" What did he mean by that ?" asked Minnie. 

" Why, whether he could get a French army 
into England, near enough to the Woolwich 
arsenal to take it." 

" Ah, ha ! What did the general say ? " 

" Yes, sire," was the reply ; " I could land 
them safely, but whether I could embark them 
again is another question." 

" And then what did Napoleon say ? " 

" He said nothing, but stroked his mustacbe, 



TEE FIELD OF WATERLOO. 181 

oo>@<ao 



and looked blanker than usual, and turned away, 
and left the general standing alone." 

" He doubtless kept up a vigorous thinking." 

"Of course he did." 

" "Walter," said Minnie, " you have asked me 
how I supposed Wellington felt after the battle. 
How do you suppose Bonaparte felt ? " 

" Bad enough, Min." 

" Did he say any thing ? " 

" Of course he did." 

" What ? " 

" Napoleon left on record many sayings, which 
show his feelings through the day. Whatever he 
uttered was caught up." 

" Tell me about them." 

" When he saw the English army drawn up at 
Belle Alliance, he clapped his hands with joy, 
exclaiming, 4 At last, then, I have these English 
in my grasp ! ' " 

" What else did he say ? " 

" As he saw the beautiful regiment of Scotch 
Grays forming in the morning, he said, ' How 
steadily do these troops take their ground ! 
How beautifully they form ! Observe those 
gray horses. Are they not noble troops ? Yet 
in half an hour I shall cut them to pieces.' " 

" What more ? " 

" Still later in the day, when he saw the valor 



182 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

and desperation of the English, as rank after 
rank was mowed down, he said, ' What brave 
troops ! It is a pity to destroy them ; but I 
shall beat them at last ! ' " 

" Well, what did he say when he was beaten ? 
That is what I wish to know." 

" When he saw that the day was lost to him, 
he was despairing and desperate. ' We must 
die here ; we must die on the field of battle.' 
He was determined to sacrifice himself." 

"But he did not do it." 

" No. Marshal Soult took hold of his horse's 
bridle and turned him from the foe, telling Na- 
poleon that he would not be killed, but taken 
prisoner and disgraced. This argument roused 
the fallen hero." 

Thus conversing they rode along the road to 
Brussels, and reached the hotel, delighted with 
the pleasures of the day, the children understand- 
ing more than they ever did before of the events 
and details of that fatal battle. 



VIEWS FROM ANTWERP STEEPLE. 183 



Chapter XI. 

VIEWS FROM ANTWERP STEEPLE. 

" rpO-DAY we leave Brussels," said Mr. Percy 

J- to the children one morning. 

" All ready, sir," replied Walter. 

" Well, get your bags packed up, children ; 
and you, Walter, if you think you can fix the 
change right, may go to the office and settle the 
bill for the party." 

" I'll do it." 

" Make no mistake." 

Walter went to the office and looked over 
the bill, studied out the charges, and at length 
said, — 

" What is that charge ? " 

" Lights," replied the office man. 

" Lights ? " 

" Yes, candles." 

" Six francs for six candles ? " 

"Yes." 

" But we did not burn an inch of the candles." 

" You might have used them all ; they were 
yours." 



184 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" Well, I suppose I must pay for them." 

" Yes." 

Walter went thoughtfully to his room, and 
there sat a few minutes in silence. 

" What is the matter, Walter ? " said his 
father. 

" Nothing, sir ; I was thinking." 

" Have you paid the bill ? " 

" Yes, sir ; here it is." 

Mr. Percy took the bill and went with it to 
Mr. Tenant's room, and gave it to that gentle- 
man. While he was gone, Walter took the 
candles from the sockets, and, rolling them up 
in a paper, put them in his carpet-bag, saying 
to himself, " I must not let them cheat me. I 
paid for the candles, and the man said they 
were mine. Well, we'll see what will come 
of it." 

The carriage soon came to the door, and they 
were speedily transported to the cars, en route 
for Antwerp. Against the wishes of the gentle- 
men, the children had prevailed upon them to 
take a second-class car, and they found, besides 
themselves, two ladies and three men. Colonel 
Sanborn and lady had taken a first-class car. 

" Why did you drag us into this car, Min- 
nie ? " asked Mr. Tenant. 

" Because, if we had taken a first-class car, 



VIEWS FROM ANTWERP STEEPLE. 185 

we should have had it to ourselves all the 

way." 

" That would have been pleasant." 

" No ; I want to see the people ; there we 
should have seen none but ourselves." 

" We shall see." 

Just then the two men took out their pipes 
and began to puff away at them, and in a mo- 
ment the car was full of smoke. 

" I can't stand this," said Mr. Tenant, lower- 
ing one of the windows. 

One of the women made a motion expressive 
of her disapprobation of the act, and muttered 
some unintelligible jargon ; whereupon Mr. Ten- 
ant, with his usual courtesy, closed the window. 
Still the smoke grew more dense, and the air of 
the car more intolerable. 

" This is a second-class car, Minnie," said her 
father. 

" So I see." 

" I think you will admit that we are taken in, 
sis," said Mr. Tenant. 

" No, sir, I should say we were being smoked 
out, instead of taken in." 

All but Walter laughed, and he kept his 
countenance. 

" Mr. Tenant," said Minnie. 

« What ? " 



186 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

"What do you suppose my sedate, sober 
brother is thinking about just now ? " 

All looked at Walter, who did not laugh. 

" Perhaps he will tell us," said Mr. Tenant. 

" Will you, Walter ? " 

" I was thinking about tobacco." 

" About tobacco ? What a subject to think 
about." 

" Yes, about tobacco." 

" Well, what about it ? " 

" I was trying to recall what Byron said of 
it in 1823." 

" Can you tell us, my son ? " said Mr. Percy. 

" Yes, Walter, tell us," said Mr. Tenant. 

"0 do, bub," chimed in Minnie. 
He says, if I recollect his words aright, — 



u 



1 Sublime tobacco ! which, from east to west, 
Cheers the tar's labor or the Turkman's rest ; 
Which on the Moslem's ottoman divides 
His hours, and rivals opium and his brides ; 
Magnificent in Stamboul, but less grand, 
Though not less loved, in Wapping on the Strand ; 
Divine in hookahs, glorious in a pipe, 
When tipped with amber, mellow, rich, and ripe ; 
Like other charmers, wooing the caress, 
More dazzlingly when glaring in full dress, 
Yet thy true lovers more admire by far 
Thy naked beauties — give me a cigar.' " 

" How long has tobacco been used, father ? " 
asked the lad. 



TIEWS FROM ANTWERP STEEPLE. 18T 

>0>©<Oo 

" When America was discovered, it was found 
growing there, and used by the Indians." 

" As late as the discovery of America, do you 
say ? " 

" Yes ; and it was introduced into England 
in 1586, by certain persons who had attempted 
to settle in Virginia. These carried back to 
England the filthy weed, and — " 

" Tut, tut, tut ! " interrupted Mr. Tenant. 

" Introduced it among the English, who soon 
made it an article of merchandise." 

" I don't see how they could adopt such a vile 
thing ! " replied Minnie. 

" Its use was much opposed at first. Queen 
Elizabeth prohibited its use in church and at 
court, though Raleigh, then her favorite, was 
its patron. Pope Urban VIII. also excommu- 
nicated all who used it in church. Its use was 
also punished in various ways. In Russia a 
man who used it had his nose cut off; and 
in Persia it was an offence punishable with 
death." 

" I'm glad that Mr. Tenant did not live in 
Russia then," said Minnie. 

"Thank you, Min. Why?" 

" Because we might now be travelling with a 
man without a nose." 

They all laughed at the answer of the little 
girl. 



188 THE PERCY FAMILY, 

" Father, what does tobacco derive its name 
from ? " inquired the lad. 

" Some have supposed that it derived its name 
from Tobago, whence were exported large quan- 
tities of it ; but Humboldt, the great traveller, 
whom you will probably see at Berlin, has told 
us something different from that." 

" What does he say ? " 

" That the name is derived from the pipe used 
by the natives of Hayti, tobacco being the name 
of it in their language." 

" Pa, why do you never smoke ? " asked 
Minnie. 

" Because I do not approve of the habit ; and 
I hope Walter will never use the weed in any 
form." 

" But, pa, our minister smokes." 

" Yes ; but that does not make it right." 

" Why does he smoke, then ? " 

" He contracted the habit in college, and 
should give it up, as he must see the influence 
on young men is bad." 

" But here is my true-hearted gallant, Mr. 
Tenant — he smokes." 

u Mr. Tenant can answer for himself. Doubt- 
less he would confess that it is a bad habit." 

"Admit, not confess, friend Percy." 

" Well, select your own terms." 



VIEWS FROM ANTWERP STEEPLE. 189 

" Yes, I shall admit all you say as to the use 
of tobacco. It is a useless and expensive habit ; 
and from my own experience I would advise Wal- 
ter never to use the article, or indulge in it in 
any way whatever." 

" You preach better than you practise," said 
Minnie. 

" Perhaps I do ; but my preaching on this 
subject is better than my practice. A large 
majority of the men who use tobacco will tell 
Walter as I do — not to use it." 

"I do not intend to use tobacco," said Wal- 
ter; " and yet I would like to know more about 
the plant." 

So Mr. Percy gave the children many inter- 
esting particulars in relation to the culture of 
tobacco, the climates in which it is raised, and 
the methods of its manufacture, in all of which 
they were much interested. 

At this point Walter, seeing one of the women 
very much interested in the conversation, said 
to her, — 

" Do you speak English ? " 

"Ah — — I speak him some — little bit." 

" I am glad to hear that ; then we can talk 
with you. Where do you live ? " 

" Live ? What you call that ? " 

" Your home — where you stop ? " 



190 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" Ah, yes ; in Antwerp." 

" We are going there." 

" Ah, yes — goot ! You be English ? " 

"No." 

" French ? " 

" No." 

" Dutch ? " 

« No." 

" What language you speak ? " 

" English." 

" And you no English ? 9 

"No." 

"What be you?" 

" We are Yankees," replied the lad. 

" Haw, haw, haw ! — haw, haw, haw ! " 

" What are you laughing at ? " 

" Haw, haw, haw ! " 

" What is the matter with you ? " 

" Haw, haw, haw ! you say you be monkeys ? 
Haw, haw, haw ! " 

" Yankees, I said." 

"Haw, haw, haw — monkeys — monkeys do 
so," she said, imitating the contortions of the 
monkey with her face. 

The party, perceiving the mistake, began to 
laugh, and she still repeated, — 

" Monkeys ! you be monkeys ! " 

Then she turned to the other persons in the 



VIEWS FROM ANTWERP STEEPLE. 191 

car, and told them what Walter had said, and 
they looked at our friends, surveyed them from 
head to foot, and began to laugh immoderately, 
which more than ever excited the merriment of 
the party. 

Walter tried to explain ; but the more he at- 
tempted to explain what a Yankee was, the more 
the woman laughed. 

The lad was touched, and said, " What speci- 
men of monkeys do you suppose we are ? " 

" Spec-i-men ? Men not be any monkey at 
all ! " 

" Hum ! how stupid ! " said Minnie to Mr. 
Tenant, against whose shoulder she was leaning 
her head. 

Thus they rode on to Antwerp, which is a 
pleasant journey from Brussels, the time on the 
road being but little over an hour ; and so much 
of interest had occupied them on the way, that 
they were all surprised when the cars arrived at 
the destination. 

" Have you looked up any hotel here, Wal- 
ter ? " asked his father. 

" Yes, sir ; there are several good ones, the 
guide book tells us ; but I have fixed on one 
in particular.' ' 

" What one ? " 

" The St. Antonio." 



192 THE PERCY FAMILY 



" Why do you select that ? " 

" I go by my instincts." 

"Well, I know nothing about either of 
them." 

Mr. Tenant had by this time found a carriage, 
and soon they were in front of the hotel. Two 
or three servants were standing there. One 
opened the carriage door, one caught the car- 
pet bags, and a third led the way into the house. 
They found apartments that suited them, and 
were soon enjoying themselves, and making their 
plans to see the place. That evening they went 
out and wandered around the city, and strolled 
into the public grounds, the children noticing 
all they saw. And at night the young folks 
went to sleep weary with talking, riding, and 
walking. 

The next morning, however, they were up 
early and ready for the day's work. 

" Where first ? " asked Walter, as they left 
the hotel. 

" To the steeple," answered Mr. Tenant. 

" What steeple ? " 

" Why, the steeple of the Cathedral of Notre 
Dame, one of the highest in the world ; from 
which we shall obtain a fine view of the country 
round about." 



VIEWS FROM ANTWERP STEEPLE. 193 

o-o^g^oo 

" That will be nice ! " 

And so they went to Notre Dame, and, on 
paying a small fee, were allowed to go into the 
steeple. As they went up, the tower seemed 
all at once to be alive with sounds. The whole 
party paused, and were almost entranced by the 
musical echoes that filled the steeple. 

" What is it ? " said Minnie. 

" Bells, bells," answered Walter. 

" Where are they ? " 

" Above us." 

Up they went, until they reached the bells. 

" What a lot of them ! " said the little girl. 

"Yes. Ninety-nine of them," added Mr. 
Percy. 

"I remember, father," said Walter, "that 
you told us something about these bells, when 
we were in Ireland." 

" Yes, I remember. It was one day when we 
were listening to the bells of Shandon." 

" But I don't see ninety-nine of them." 

" There are not ninety-nine distinct bells, but 
ninety-nine hammers that strike the bells in. 
different places, producing a variety of sounds." 

" What an immense bell is that one in the 
middle ! " 

" Yes, it takes sixteen men to ring it." 

The bells now ceased striking, the music of 
VOL. III. 13 



194 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

the chime died away, and our friends went up 
still higher, until they reached the upper gal- 
lery, where a sublime view broke upon their 
sight. The course of the River Scheldt, the 
frowning Citadel of Antwerp, and the steeples 
of Flushing, Breda, and Brussels, were in view. 

" Glorious ! " cried Mr. Tenant. 

" Magnificent ! " shouted Minnie. 

" How high is this steeple ? " asked Walter 
of his father. 

" Four hundred and thirty-six feet and seven 
inches." 

" Is this the highest in the world ? " 

" No." 

"What one is?" 

" The spire of Strasburg Minster." 

"How high is that?" 

" Four hundred and seventy-four feet." 

" Does this come next ? " 

" No ; a spire in Vienna is next — thirty feet 
or more higher than this. Then comes this 



one." 



" What is the highest in America ? " 
"Trinity, in New York." 
" 0, yes, that beautiful church in Broadway. 
How high is that ? " 

" Two hundred and eighty-four feet." 
"Only a little more than half as high as this." 



YIEWS FEOM ANTWERP STEEPLE. 195 

" They are building a Cathedral at Cologne, 
that will have two spires, which, when com- 
pleted, will be five hundred feet high." 

" Shall we see that Cathedral ? " 

"Yes." 

" But the spires are not finished, you say." 

"They are hardly begun. But I want you 
to take particular notice of this spire. You see 
it is built in a peculiar manner." 

" What do you refer to ? " 

" Notice, children, that it is not of solid ma- 
sonry, but bits of stone strung on iron bars, and 
put together in a curious manner." 

" 0, yes, I see," replied the lad. 

" The spire from top to bottom is deemed a 
very exquisite piece of workmanship, being the 
most delicate thing of the kind in the world." 

" I remember," said Walter, " of reading that 
the Emperor Charles Y. said that it should be 
kept in a glass case." 

" He did say so ; and Napoleon said that it 
could be compared with nothing but Mechlin 
lace." 

" Rather rough looking lace, I think." 

" Yes, viewed from this gallery ; but you will 
see the propriety of the comparison when you 
are on the ground, and carefully examine the 
structure from a distance." 



196 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

00>#<CK) 

They stood in the gallery of the tower for a 
long time, and among the things remembered 
long afterwards by the children, very interesting 
were the views from Antwerp steeple. When 
they came down, they saw the old draw-well of 
Quentin Matsys. 

" Pray, pa, who was he ? " asked the little 
girl, enthusiastically. " They have so many 
odd things in this country, that I appear very 
ignorant." 

" Yery ignorant ! " said Walter, dryly. 

" Hold your tongue, saucebox ! " 

" Couldn't hold it." 

" Well, don't charge me with ignorance." 

" 0, I thought you told the truth when you 
said you appeared very ignorant." 

" I did tell the truth ; but I don't want to 
have it flung in my face, Mr. Impudence." 

" There is," said Mr. Percy, " a little history 
to this thing. You see over the draw-well an 
elegant iron canopy." 

" Yes, yes." 

" Well, that was the work of the man I have 
mentioned. He was a blacksmith, and, falling 
in love — " 

" Hum ! " said Minnie. 

" With the daughter of a painter — " 

" It's growing romantic, Walter," she said, 
aside. 



VIEWS FROM ANTWERP STEEPLE. 197 

" He changed his profession to secure her, 
these being the only terms on which her father 
would consent to the marriage." 

" How did he succeed in the new art ? " 
" Gradually he became a painter of eminence. 
He was buried at the foot of the spire. Round 
at the west door of the Cathedral is a tablet to 
his memory, with a Latin inscription on it." 
" What is the inscription, translated ? " 
" Something like this, I believe, — 

" ■ Twas love connubial taught the smith to paint/ " 

" Bah ! — that is pretty stuff to put upon 
Cathedrals." 

" You will find many queer inscriptions on 
the walls of churches, especially when you get 
into Italy." 

" Well, come ; let us enter the Cathedral, and 
see what we can find there." 

" Ah, we are just in time ! " exclaimed Mr. 
Tenant. 

"In time for what ? " asked Walter. 

" To see the masterpiece of Rubens, that the 
priest yonder is just uncovering." 

"What is it?" 

" A painting — the ' Descent from the Cross.'" 

They all pressed forward to gaze at it, and 
such was the strange fascination of the picture, 



198 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

that they stood looking at it for some time. They 
also saw several other pictures of Rubens in this 
church, around each of which a crowd of persons, 
strangers in Antwerp, were gathered. 

Leaving the Cathedral, they repaired to the 
old church of the Dominicans, and as thev en- 
tered, Walter asked, — 

" What is there here ? " 

" We shall see," replied his father. 

They soon found that it was a famous picture 
of Rubens, known as the " Scourging of Christ." 
The beholder starts back with horror, as the cur- 
tain is drawn aside, and the light falls upon the 
Saviour, with his body all livid with the blows, 
and sees the inhuman monsters as they tear his 
flesh with their rods. 

Mr. Percy told the children that this church 
was famous for its wood carvings ; the pulpit, 
stalls, confessionals, and many other things, be- 
ing exquisitely carved of oak. These carvings 
were designed and generally executed by monks 
who had nothing else to employ their time. 

" Now, children, I want you to see something 
outside." 

" What ? " 

" I do not know yet." 

" Where is it ? " 

" We will inquire. Let us move quick." 



VIEWS FROM ANTWERP STEEPLE, 199 

OO^OC 

" Come, Min," cried Walter. 

"I am coming." 

Soon the whole party were gathered outside, 
where they found an artificial hill raised against 
the wall of the church, representing Calvary, and 
the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. You enter 
the gate, and find groups of figures, carved in 
marble, all around you, while in the centre is 
an eminence, or mound, with the crucifixion 
scene upon its summit. Below is the tomb, 
and within the body of Christ. This work is 
the conception of a monk, who desired to give 
as correct a representation of Calvary and the 
tomb as possible. There is also a representa- 
tion of purgatory, in the flames of which souls 
are seen quivering and biting their tongues with 
pain. 

As they turned from the church, and walked 
along the streets, Walter said to his father, — 

" I have heard that this was once a very noted 
commercial city." 

" It was. In the sixteenth century it num- 
bered two hundred thousand inhabitants." 

" As large as Boston." 

"Yes." 

" How many inhabitants are there here 
now ? " 

" About ninety thousand." 



200 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" How does the commerce of the place com- 
pare with what it once was ? " 

" Very poorly. Twenty-five hundred vessels 
were sometimes found in the river, loading and 
unloading. But now the commerce is meagre." 

" How are the fortifications ? " 

" Very extensive and formidable. Napoleon 
conceived the idea of making Antwerp a famous 
naval port. He spent ten million dollars to for- 
tify the place, and at St. Helena declared that 
what lie had done was only the beginning of 
what he intended to do. His purpose was to 
make this city a prominent port, and so fortify 
it that it would defend the northern frontier 
of France, and menace the commerce of the 
Thames, which is but a few hours' sail dis- 
tant." 

" Father, can you tell me what the name of 
Antwerp is derived from ? " 

" No, I cannot." 

" I have been trying to make out, in my own 
mind." 

" Perhaps Mr. Tenant can tell." 

" Can you, Mr. Tenant ? " 

"I have heard that it was derived from 
'AenHwerf:" 

" What language are these words in ? I never 
heard them before." 



YIEWS PROM ANTWERP STEEPLE. 201 

" The Flemish." 

" What do they mean ? " 

" < On the wharf.' " 

" Well," said Minnie, " I heard you speaking 
of 6 the quays.' What are they — streets ? " 

" No ; the quays are the wharfs." 

" 0, I might have known." 

" I heard you say something about Rubens, 
yesterday," remarked Walter ; " can you give 
me any facts about him, father ? " 

< ; His career was somewhat public, and you 
are welcome to all I know about him." 

" I should like to hear." 

" Where shall I begin ? " 

" You know, father, — tell me where he was 
born, educated, and all that." 

" He was born in Cologne." 

" Why, I thought he was a native of Ant- 
werp." 

" No ; his father was a sheriff of Antwerp, but 
during some troublous times he went to Cologne, 
where Peter Paul, his son, was born." 

" Peter Paul — was that his name ? " asked 
Minnie. 

" Yes." 

" Why didn't they put on Matthew, Mark, 
Luke, and John ? " 

" Do stop, Min, and let father tell about him." 



202 THE PERCY FAMILY. 
»o^oo 

" When the times of trouble were over, the 
family returned to Antwerp ; and the lad, show- 
ing signs of genius, was well educated, and then 
put into the school of a painter named Van 
Oort" 

" But Mr. Tenant told me, a few hours ago, 
that he became a master of his art in the school 
of Otto — Otto — Somebody.'' 

" Otto Somebody ! Ha, ha, ha ! " laughed 
Minnie. 

" Otto Venius," said Mr. Percy. 

" Yes, sir, that is the name." 

" He afterwards went into the studio of Yeni- 
us, where he made much improvement. He 
soon came to the notice of Archduke Albert, 
governor of the Netherlands, who employed 
him, and at length sent him to Mantua, Ma- 
drid, and Rome. From that time his fortune 
was made. He received many distinguished 
honors — was knighted in England, and died 
in 1640." 

" How old ? " 

" Sixty-three years." 

" Where are most of his pictures ? " 

u They are found in Europe, in churches, ca- 
thedrals, and galleries of art. Whenever I see 
any of these pictures, I will point them out to 
you." 



VIEWS FROM ANTWERP STEEPLE. 203 

Thus the time in Antwerp was spent profita- 
bly, and the place which at first did not promise 
much of interest proved to be full of interest. 
As they stood at the door of the hotel one day, 
a French gentleman said to Mr. Percy, — 

" You much like Anvers ? " 

Mr. Percy told him he was pleased with the 
place. When the man turned away, Minnie 
said, — 

" Pa, that man called this city ' Anvers.' " 

"Yes." 

"What did he call it so for?" 

" The French call it Anvers." 

" I have," said Walter, " a sheet of paper with 
a view of the city, and under the view is the word 
Antwerpen. What does that mean ? " 

" That is Flemish. The Spaniards call it Am- 
beres" 

" Dinner waits for the gentlemen," said a 
servant, appearing then. 

"No," said Walter, "the gentlemen wait for 
the dinner." 

" The dinner shall not wait for the lady," 
cried Minnie, rushing on before the rest ; and 
soon they were all seated around the table, one 
of the most happy groups of travellers that could 
be imagined. 



204 THE PERCY FAMILY. 



Chapter XII. 

FUN IN ROTTERDAM. 

ABOUT noon one day, the party took seats in 
the ears for Holland. The day was very 
fine, and the whole country around smiled with 
gladness. About half way from Antwerp to 
Rotterdam, they crossed the frontier and en- 
tered Holland. The examination of luggage 
and passports was very light ; the officers on 
duty merely looked at the latter, and hastily 
stamped the former. 

" This is something like it," said Mr. Ten- 
ant, as he took up his carpet bag and entered 
the car. 

" Like what ? " asked Walter. 

" Like a civilized country, and like decent 
people." 

" The examinations here are light, certainly." 

" Light ! light ! Our baggage is light ! but 
the officers on the line between France and Bel- 
gium pulled every thing to pieces, soiled my 
clean linen, turned out all my shaving utensils, 
and left me to tumble them all back into the 



FUN IN ROTTERDAM. 205 
<x>XKoo 

bag again. I wonder they did not arrest me 
for having a razor with me, and charge me with 
taking murderous weapons into the country." 

"You can't complain of these people here." 

" No ; I never complain until forbearance 
ceases to be a virtue." 

All this time the cars were rolling on, leaving 
custom-house annoyances far behind. At some 
distance beyond the frontier, the cars were ex- 
changed for a steamer, and a river journey of an 
hour on the winding Meuse was a refreshing 
change from the dusty railroad. 

" How romantic ! " 

" What is romantic ? " asked Walter of his 
sister, who uttered the exclamation. 

"This river, and our position." 

" I don't see any thing very romantic." 

"You don't?" 

"No, sis." 

" Well, I do. Here we are on board a little 
steamer, not as big as the ' Maid of the Mist,' 
that we saw at Niagara Falls last summer. We 
cannot understand what these jabbering people 
say, and we do not know what plans there may 
be formed to rob us, and — " 

" That is romantic, surely ! " 

" And then look off — how narrow the stream 
is ! what castles in ruins we have passed ! how 



206 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

many windmills there are! and — and — 0, dear, 
how the sun beats down upon my head ! " 

" In consequence of which you will have a 
very romantic headache." 

" Come, children," said Mr. Percy, " the folks 
are going down to dinner. You must be hun- 
gry by this time." 

" Yes, sir," said the lad. 

" Yes, sir," cried the little girl. 

They went down below, and crowded, with a 
considerable company of persons in various con- 
ditions of life, into a little cabin, and took their 
seats at the table. The air was close, the ap- 
pearance of many at the table was offensive ; 
and when the food was brought on, it was any 
thing but palatable. 

" I can't go this," said Mr. Tenant, leaving 
the table, and paying the steward of the boat 
four francs as he went out. 

Mr. Percy remained with the children, but 
could not eat any thing. 

" Will you have any thing ? " said the waiter 
to him. 

" A cup of tea." 

" No tea, to-day." 

" Coffee, then." 

" No coffee, sir." 

" A glass of water, then." 



FUN IN ROTTERDAM. 207 

" No water — water very hot." 

" What have you to drink ? " 

" Vin, vin, vin ! " 

" What does he mean by that, pa ? " asked 
Minnie. 

" He means that they have nothing to drink 
but wine." 

" Singular that they have no water on 
board." 

" They probably have a plenty of it." 

" Then why don't they let you have some ? " 

" Because, if I drink water, they do not get 
any pay for it. They want me to use wine, or 
vin, as they call it." 

" We must have some drink, pa." 

" You shall have. I will get some water by 
and by, if I am obliged to pay for it." 

" Pay for it ! " 

" Yes, a little silver will bring it fast enough." 

" Well, get some now." 

" No, wait until after dinner. We shall suc- 
ceed better when fewer persons are present." 

" Father, father ! " said Walter. 

" What, my son ? " 

" This meat is bad." 

" Don't eat it, then. Take an orange or two, 
or some other fruit, and when we get to Rotter- 
dam we will have a good dinner." 



208 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

oO^(X 

They soon left the table, glad to get out upon 
deck, where they could feel a breath of air. 

" Guess you have been eating hard," said Mr. 
Tenant, who was sitting comfortably in the after 
part of the boat. 

" Why, what makes you think so ? " 

" You look red and hot, as if you had been 
hard at work. The perspiration stands in great 
beads upon your forehead." 

" You would sweat if you had tried for half 
an hour to eat tainted meat without a mouthful 
of tea, coffee, or cold water to wash it down." 

Colonel Sanborn and lady now joined them. 
The former was as dignified, the latter as fussy, 
as ever. They had been trying to make a din- 
ner, but had succeeded very poorly. 

" It's an imposition on travellers ! " squeaked 
Mrs. Sanborn at the top of her voice. 

" Wife, you will be overheard," said her 
husband. 

" I don't care if I am. It's outrageous ! it's 
wicked ! it's — it's too bad ! " 

" Hush, Mrs. Sanborn ! " said the colonel, 
gravely. 

" I cannot hush ! — four francs for such a 
dinner ! One dollar and sixty cents for what 
you and I ate." 

" Hush, wife ! " 



FUN IN ROTTERDAM. 209 

" It is too bad ! And don't you think that 
impudent servant told me I was taking up as 
much room at the table as three persons 
ought to ! " 

" Ah ? that is the rub ! " said Minnie to Wal- 
ter, aside. " I thought there was something 
besides bad food in the way." 

" Yes, yes ; let us go forward to the other 
part of the steamer." 

" To the bows, why don't you say ? " 

" Well, to the bows ; " and forward they went. 

A sudden turn in the river brings the city of 
Rotterdam full into view ; and soon the whole 
company were gathered in the bows of the 
steamer, gazing upon the vision that had so 
suddenly burst upon them. 

" How large a place is Rotterdam ? " asked 
Walter. 

" It has about eighty thousand inhabitants, 
and is in the form of a triangle — so I am 
told." 

They soon landed from the steamer, and, 
entering a carriage, told the driver to take 
them to the best hotel in the city ; and in a 
few minutes they found themselves in front of 
an elegant public house, over the door of which, 
in large gilt capitals, Walter read aloud the 
words, " Hotel des Bains." 
yol. ni. 14 



210 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" What does that mean, bub ? " 

"I don't know. Can you tell us, Mr. 
Tenant ? " 

" This is the New Bath Hotel, said to be a 
very good one." 

They entered, and ordered dinner at once. 
Mr. Percy, as well as his knowledge of the lan- 
guage would allow, told the servants what was 
wanted, and invited Colonel Sanborn and lady 
to dine with them, which invitation was ac- 
cepted . Toilet duty was attended to, and the 
travellers gathered in the garden, where a foun- 
tain was playing, and flowers were casting their 
fragrance on the air. Long did they wait, and 
the evening shadows began to deepen, but they 
were not called. Colonel Sanborn began to 
grow more and more impatient every moment. 
Hunger was seen in his face, and he quickened 
his step as he strode up and down the gravelled 
walks. At length, his patience being exhausted, 
he exclaimed, — 

" You have tried to order dinner ; I will show 
you what a military man can do." 

" So do, Thomas," said his lady. 

" Waiter, waiter ! " shouted the colonel. 

The waiter was not at hand. 

" Waiter, wait-a-r-r ! " 

" Vot ish that you want ? " cried an aston- 



FUN IN ROTTERDAM. 211 

OO^CK) 

ished servant, running into the garden, and look- 
ing almost as much frightened as if the house 
was on fire. 

" What shall we call you ? " asked the colonel. 

" Vat ish that ? " 

" Your name — what is it ? " 

"Van Pelt." 

" Well, Van Pelt, get some dinner for us as 
quick as possible ; we are as hungry as bears ; " 
and the man tried to tell what he wanted. 

The servant, with a look of consternation, 
nodded assent, and hurried away, 

" Now," said the colonel, " we shall see how 
early dinner will be served," and his counte- 
nance was covered with smiles. 

But they waited and waited ; servants came 
and went ; guests were served and departed ; 
and, after a long time, poor Van Pelt announced 
that dinner was ready, and they hurried to the 
table, the colonel forgetting the military precis- 
ion with which he was accustomed to do every 
thing. But he had no sooner taken his seat, 
than his face looked black as a thunder cloud at 
the spectacle that met his gaze. On the table 
was a pot of weak tea, bread and butter, and a 
large dish of pickled beans. 

All but the unfortunate hero began to laugh ; 
and even his wife, hungry as she w^s, could not 



212 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

fail to be amused at the ludicrousness of the 
farce. The colonel was in a rage, and poured 
out his wrath on the head of the poor servant, 
who knew so little of English that he had mis- 
taken the order given him. But the more he 
was stormed at the more placid he became, and 
at length, looking in the face of the excited 
man, asked, with a drollery that convulsed with 
laughter all the others, — 

" Vat's der matter mit you ? " 

This only made the poor man more furious, 
and Mr. Tenant was obliged to interfere, or the 
servant might have received severe treatment. 
No one knew better than this gentleman how to 
get along with the case. He pacified the colo- 
nel, who, on the whole, was really a good man, 
and gave such orders as soon spread the table 
with a fine dinner, which was eaten almost 
silently, as the scene which had just transpired 
had made all feel any thing but pleasant. 

When the colonel and his lady had retired 
from the table, the servant, who had stood aloof, 
returned, and seemed very anxious to please the 
rest of the party. Mr. Tenant said to him, — 

" Your friend has gone." 

" Yaw ! goot, goot ! He feels petter pi and 
pi ! " 

The children laughed to hear him talk, and 




** .7fe£T^> 



THE CHURCH. 



PUN IN ROTTERDAM. 215 

Minnie declared that he was a " right down 
good fellow." The evening was spent in a 
short walk in the vicinity of the hotel. 

In the morning they all went out again to 
look about the place, and the children were 
much amused at what they saw. It was some 
kind of a fete day, and the streets were thronged 
by thousands of people. 

" Why, father," said Minnie, " the streets are 
half of them filled with water." 

" Yes," replied the gentleman addressed ; 
" there are as many canals as streets in the 
city, and it is amusing and odd to see vessels 
moving along through the city, tall masts pass- 
ing by the windows of the hotels, and boats 
scudding along, propelled by the merry boatmen, 
and churches setting almost in the water." 

See engraving on page 213. 

" And how do the people cross these canals ? " 

" Look, and you will see." 

" 0, yes, I see ; bridges are thrown across for 
foot passengers and travellers." 

" I notice," said Mr. Tenant, " there are some 
peculiarities to the houses not seen elsewhere. 
The ends of the roof are very peculiar in their 
construction, and the houses are built so as to 
hang over into the street two or three feet." 

"Yes," zm& Walter, "they hang over so much 



216 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

00*^00 

in some of the narrow streets we have passed, as 
almost to shut out the sunlight." 

" Walter, Walter ! " cried Minnie. 

" What, sis ? " 

" Do look ! " 

" Look at what ? " 

" At those women ; instead of having on bon- 
nets, they have brass head-dresses, with horns in 
them." 

" Sure enough ! " 

Mr. Percy explained that these brass head- 
dresses were very common, and worn on festi- 
val occasions, and sometimes on the Sabbath. 
They give the wearer a very novel and mascu- 
line appearance. 

" What strange taste ! " added Walter. 

" What a contrast, Walter," said his sister, 
" between those brass ornaments, and horns, and 
pendants, and the heavy wooden shoes worn on 
the feet ! " 

" The whole dress is ridiculous as any thing 
we have yet seen." 

" And look, Walter, at those things on the 
sides of the houses." 

" What things ? " 

" Those mirrors." 

" Yes, the people here seem to keep their look 
ing glasses on the outsides of the houses**" 



FUN IN ROTTERDAM. 217 

" Father, what is that for ? " 

" In going through almost any town in Hol- 
land," said Mr. Percy, in explanation, " you 
will notice a mirror to almost every window. 
The object of these mirrors is the same which 
is accomplished by our bay windows, to see up 
and down the street. Thus a lady sitting in 
her room, if the door bell rings, can look in a 
little mirror, which is so placed as to show who 
is on the doorstep. If she wishes to see the 
person, she can go down ; if it is a beggar, she 
can let him ring to his heart's content ; and if 
it is an unwelcome caller, she can direct the 
maid to say, .as some American ladies do, ' En- 
gaged.' She can sit at the window, and, by a 
glass on the side, see who is in the street below, 
and the whole length of the sidewalk is full in 
her view. Sometimes three of these glasses are 
fixed to one window, one to look up street, one 
to look down street, and one to see who stands 
at the door. Some houses have these mirrors to 
all the front windows, and a very simple yet good 
arrangement it is." 

" I should think it might be," said Walter ; 
" and should the people in some of the long, 
narrow streets in Boston, where nothing can be 
seen but a brick wall opposite, have such an 



218 THE PEBCTf FAMILY. 

arrangement, it would be a great addition to the 
rooms on the street." 

" I don't know. I should hardly wish to see 
our houses thus fixed out with mirrors." 

" There is a statue, pa," said Minnie. 

" Yes, I see." 

" What is it ? " 

" The statue of Erasmus." 

"Who was he?" 

" He was a learned man, and a great theolo- 
gian. Up to his ninth year he was a poor sing- 
ing boy in the Cathedral of Utrecht, and from 
this small beginning he rose to eminence. He 
died in 1536, and was buried at Bale, leaving 
behind him several theological and literary 
works, and a great name." 

" Why was his statue put here ? " 

" Because he was a native of Eotterdam." 

" He was gifted," said Mr. Tenant, adding 
his word to the conversation, " with great 
conversational powers ; so much so, that it is 
said that on one occasion, when he visited 
incog. — " 

" What does incog, mean ? " 

" Incognito is a word for unknown, or in dis- 
guise ; incog is a contraction of it." 

" 0, yes, I understand — go on." 

"When Erasmus visited Sir Thomas More, 



FUN IN ROTTERDAM. 219 

90^00 

then lord chancellor, in disguise, the latter 
was so struck with the brilliancy of his con- 
versation, that he said, impulsively, ' Who are 
you ? You must be Erasmus, or an evil 
spirit.' " 

In the after part of the day they drove to 
the house where Erasmus was born, which they 
found used as a vegetable and flower store. 
The whole day was occupied in looking about 
the city ; and it was very amusing to see the 
people stop and look after them, they being 
recognized as strangers. When they reached 
the hotel at night, they secured dinner, and then 
went to their apartments, and spent two or three 
hours in pleasant, interesting conversation upon 
the manners of the people, and the things they 
had seen. 

" Don't you think Holland is the strangest 
country we have yet seen ? " 

" Yes, there are many queer customs here." 

" The country itself is peculiar ; I am told 
that it is lower than the level of the sea." 

" Yes, it is so ; and the water is kept out by 
dikes." 

" I should think it would sometimes be over- 
flowed." 

" There is great danger of it, and nothing but 
ceaseless vigilance can prevent it." 



220 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" What are the dikes made of ? " 

" They consist of a sort of willow thatch-work, 
inlaid and overlaid with clay, and need con- 
stant repair. It is said that the amount ex- 
pended every year in dikes, and water levels, 
and canals, reaches the immense sum of three 
million dollars." 

" Has the country ever been inundated ? " 

" It has been partially inundated several 
times." 

" Well, how are the canals dug ? " 

" There is no difficulty with that, as there are 
windmills all over the country to pump the water 
out and drain the land. Should an inundation 
take place, the water would soon be pumped out 
again." 

" I remember what some poet says about this 
country." 

" What is it ? " 

" As near as I can remember, the lines run 
as follows : — 

' A country that draws fifty feet of water, 
In which men live as in the hold of nature, 
And when the sea doth in upon them break, 
And drown a province, does but spring a leak.' " 



" You know where that came from, don't 

u?" 

« No, sir." 



you ? " 



PUN IN ROTTERDAM. 221 

"The author of Hudibras is responsible for 
it." 

" Who was he ? " 

" Samuel Butler — a distinguished English 
poet." 

" And I remember some other lines, written 
by the same poet, upon this country, so open 
to satire in consequence of its oddities." 

" Repeat them, pa ; 0, do, if they are funny ! " 
cried Minnie, looking up from several views she 
had that day purchased. 

" I will try. Butler speaks of the Dutch as 
people 

1 Who always ply the pump, and never think 
They can be safe, but at the rate they sink ; 
They live as if they had been run aground, 
And when they die are cast away and drowned ; 
That dwell in ships like swarms of rats, and prey 
Upon the goods all nations' fleets convey ; 
And when their merchants are blown up and cracked, 
Whole towns are cast away in storms and wracked ; 
That feed like cannibals on other fishes, 
And serve their cousin germans up in dishes ; 
A land that rides at anchor and is moored, 
In which they do not live, but go aboard.' " 

" Father, you said some of the customs of this 
people were very queer. What are they ? " 
inquired Minnie. 

" Well, one custom that prevails in some 
towns is this : if a person is sick, it is common 



¥ # 



222 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

oO^tJOo 

to keep a bulletin on the door, so that those 
who wish to know how the person is, may not 
disturb the sick one by the knock or the ring, 
nor the family by his presence." 

"That's curious," remarked Walter. 

" What other strange customs have this strange 
people ? " 

" When, in some towns, a babe has been born 
in any family, a silk pin-cushion, covered and 
fringed with plaited lace, is exposed at the door; 
the sex of the infant is marked by the color — if 
a boy red, if a girl white" 

" Why, father, who tells that story ? " asked 
Minnie. 

" I do, my child." 

" 0, yes ; but on what authority ? " 

" No less than the noted maker of the Euro- 
pean hand-books — Mr. Murray." 

"That is good authority, Mr. Tenant says. 
But what is the object of putting out this pin- 
cushion ? " 

" I give you the exact words of Mr. Murray 
on the subject. The house which shows in this 
manner that the number of its inhabitants has 
been increased, enjoys, by ancient law and cus- 
tom, various immunities. For a certain number 
of days, nothing which is likely to disturb a lady 
who is sick, is allowed to approach it. It is 



FUN IN ROTTERDAM. 223 

protected from legal executions ; no bailiffs dare 
molest its inmates, and when troops pass it on 
the march, the drums cease to beat." 

" In what towns, father, does this silly custom 
prevail ? " 

" In Haarlem and Enckhuysen." 

" Is there any other custom that is pecu- 
liar ? " 

" Yes, many of them." 

" Do tell what they are." 

" The Dutch girls here once a year have a 
festival, at which they hire sweethearts if they 
have none of their own. When a person dies 
here, they send about a man curiously dressed 
to tell the relatives ; and other odd customs 
prevail, some of which you will see as we go 
on." 

" I begin to see the significance of the expres- 
sion that old Mr. Howard, who lives near us at 
home, uses so frequently — ' That beats the 
Dutch.' " 

" Whatever beats the Dutch for oddity must 
be unique indeed." 

" Come, children," said Mr. Percy, " it is time 
for you to go to bed. You will see enough of 
Holland before we leave it." 

" I am ready to retire," said Walter ; " but I 
never have had enough of any country we have 



224 



THE PERCY FAMILY 



visited yet, and if I should get enough of this, it 
will be the first. Good night, father." 

" Good night, my son." 

" Good night, Mr. Tenant." 

" Good night, Walter." 

The door closed on two retreating forms, the 
children sleeping in two little bed rooms that 
led out of the larger room occupied by the 
gentlemen. 




MEMENTOS OF THE PILGRIMS. 227 

<*>>*SC>C 



Chapter XIII. 

MEMENTOS OF THE PILGRIMS. 

" /"^ ahead, conductor," exclaimed Walter, 

VJ as he saw that official pass the window 
of the car in which the party had taken seats. 
The conductor looked up with a smile, and 
mumbled something in an outlandish tongue, 
which Walter could not understand. 

" Where now, pa ? " asked Minnie, as the 
train started. 

" We stop first at Delft." 

" What have I heard about that place ? " 

" I do not know." 

" Well, I have heard it mentioned, or have 
read about it." 

" Very likely." 

" What is it noted for ? " 

" Delft-haven was the place from which the 
Pilgrims sailed to America." 

The reader will find one of the last acts of 
that heroic band before sailing, described in the 
picture on page 10, and a view of Delft-haven is 
on page 226. 



228 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

They soon reached the town, which is only a 
few miles from Rotterdam. They could stop 
but a few hours, and were obliged to make the 
best use of their time. They found the streets 
narrow and ill-looking, the canals filled with 
stagnant water, and the people stared at them 
as if a stranger had never visited the place be- 
fore. Entering a carriage, they prepared to see 
all there was to be seen. 

" Where do you wish to go ? " asked the 
driver. 

" To the Stadthouse first," replied Mr. Percy. 

" I wonder what the Stadthouse is ? " said 
Minnie to herself. 

" The town hall, I believe," said Walter, over- 
hearing her. 

They found the Stadthouse to be an old build- 
ing with a very curious front, and containing 
some fine old pictures, though Minnie declared 
that she did not see much in that building to 
pay for visiting it. 

" Where next, pa ? " the little girl asked, as 
they drove away. 

" To the Oude Kerk." 

" What is that ? " 

" I told you." 

" Please don't plague me." 

" The Old Church we are on our way to — so 



MEMENTOS OF THE PILGRIMS. 229 

called because of its age, and to distinguish it 
from another here, known as the New Church." 

" Have you not seen churches enough yet ? " 

" No ; the churches will be the chief attrac- 
tion of some places we shall visit." 

"Mercy!" exclaimed the child; " see that 
tower tumbling over ! " 

" Ha, ha, ha ! " was the answer she obtained 
to the exclamation. 

" What do you laugh at ? " 

" At you, sis." 

" What for ? " 

" For supposing that tower is tumbling 
down." 

" What is the matter with it ? " 

" It is the leaning tower connected with the 
old church we are to visit." 

They alighted at the foot of the leaning tow- 
er, which did, indeed, look as if it was coming 
over. 

" What are you coming here for ? " was Min 
nie's question. 

" To see old Van Tromp's monument, father 
says," replied Walter. 

" Who was Van Tromp ? " 

" I don't know." 

" Let us ask Mr. Tenant ; " and that gentle- 
man coming up at the moment, she inquired,— 



230 THE PERCY FAMILY. 
»oXKoc 

" Mr. Tenant, who was Van Tromp ? " 

" 0, Yan Tromp was a Dutch admiral. He 
swept a Spanish, and then an English, fleet 
from the face of the waters, and gave the navy 
of Holland great distinction. The King of France 
conferred upon him a title of nobility, in conse- 
quence of his valor." 

" Is this the naval officer who fastened a broom 
to his mast ? " asked Walter. 

" Yes, the same." 

" What did he do that for ? " asked Minnie. 

" After having defeated the English fleet in 
the Downs, he had a broom fastened to the mast 
of his ship." 

" What for ? " 

" As a sign that he had swept the Channel of 
English vessels." 

" He was a trump, wasn't he ? " 

" He was a brave man." 

" How did he die ? " 

" He was killed on the deck of his vessel in a 
naval engagement. He died shouting, ' Courage, 
my boys ! ' " 

" His name was ' Yan,' you say ? " 

" No ; his name was Martin Harpertzoon 
Tromp." 

" You called him < Yan.' " 

" Yes ; Yan is a Dutch prefix to a man's 



MEMENTOS OV THE PILGRIMS. 231 

name indicative of some rank, as at home we 
say John Brown, Esq. The Van often means 
nothing here, as Esq. does with us. Do you 
understand ? " 

" I think I do." 

They were now in the church, and standing 
before Van Tromp's monument, on the base of 
which is a picture of a naval battle, most ex- 
quisitely wrought. 

They then went to the New Church, in the 
public square, which they had no sooner entered 
than a large, ornate monument was seen, the most 
conspicuous object in the house. 

" Whose monument is that ? " asked Walter. 

" Van Tromp's, I guess," said Minnie. 

" No," replied Mr. Percy ; " that is the monu- 
ment of William I., Prince of Orange." 

" Who was he ? " 

" Perhaps you know that the heir apparent of 
the Dutch throne bears the title of the ' Prince 
of Orange,' as the heir apparent of the English 
throne bears the title of ' Prince of Wales.' " 

" I have heard so." 

"William I., the heir to the throne of the 
Netherlands, was a brave man and a hero, who, 
in the troublous times about the middle of the 
sixteenth century, contended for the liberties of 
Holland, that was then overrun by foreigners. 



232 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

Several attempts were made to assassinate him, 
and at length his enemies were successful." 

" Did they kill him ? " 

" Yes, after several unsuccessful efforts. Once, 
when he was at Antwerp, a Spaniard shot him 
with a pistol ; the ball entered his right cheek, 
destroyed several of his teeth, but did not kill 
him." 

" What did they do with the Spaniard ? " 

"They slew him on the spot. Afterwards a 
Spaniard and an Italian tried to kill him, but 
both were convicted, and one was executed; the 
other committed suicide." 

" How was he assassinated at last ? " 

" He was here at his palace in Delft, and a 
young Burgundian shot him." 

" What did he do it for ? " 

" He said that a Franciscan monk persuaded 
him to do it, promising him, in God's name, 
eternal life, William being a Protestant." 

" But," said Walter, " I see on the monument 
something about a dog — what is that ? " 

" Ah, I forgot to tell you about the dog. On 
one occasion the Spaniards had planned an attack 
upon him, when his dog, knowing that they were 
enemies, leaped upon his bed, tore the clothes 
from him, and aroused his master in season for 
his escape." 



MEMENTOS OF THE PILGRIMS. 233 

ooI^Koc 

They looked at the monument of Grotius, who 
was born in Delft ; at the tombs of the royal 
family of Holland, that are in this church ; and 
then went over to see the house where the young 
prince was assassinated, the spot where the mur- 
derer stood, the bullet holes in the wall, the place 
where the poor man fell, dying, in the arms of 
his wife. 

" Who was his wife ? " asked Minnie. 

" The daughter of Admiral Coligny." 

" What, he who was slain on St. Bartholo- 
mew's day ? " 

" Yes, his daughter. She seemed to have had 
blood to drink. " 

" Is there a Prince of Orange now ? " 

" Yes ; a wild young fellow, that report says 
is betrothed to the English Princess Alice." 

" Hum ! that little girl betrothed ? " 

" So it is said." 

The party then entered the carriage again, 
and drove about the town, which they found to 
be neat and dull, and at the expiration of four 
hours, took cars for the Hague, where they ar- 
rived after a short ride, and at which place they 
proposed to stop a day or two. This city is one 
of the most pleasant in Holland, and contain? 
galleries of Dutch art, royal cabinets of curiosi- 
ties, and many fine buildings, which exhibit art 



234 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

and taste, luxury and wealth. There is at the 
Hague one of the largest collection of Japan 
curiosities in the world. Figures in ivory, bronze, 
metal, and wood, costumes, Japan ware, furni- 
ture from their houses, and deities from their 
temples, weapons of war, and the peaceful in- 
struments of agriculture, and many other things 
throwing light upon the habits and customs of 
the people of Japan. 

Our travellers took lodgings at a very quiet 
hotel, and for two days amused themselves by 
looking about the place. They spent much time 
in the picture gallery, where they saw a very 
fine collection of paintings, mostly from Dutch 
artists ; they went to the royal palace of the 
King of Holland, and were presented to his 
majesty ; they visited the collection of Japan 
ware, the private collections and cabinets, and 
saw all they could of interest. 

They also rode out to Scheveningen, on the sea 
shore, where the children were amused with the 
costumes of the fishwives, and the customs of 
the fishermen, who were seen drawing their fish 
over the beach, or launching their boats. The 
nobility of the Hague often come here and take 
a fish breakfast, and it forms one of the watering 
places of the coast. 

A little circumstance occurred when they left 



MEMENTOS OF THE PILGRIMS. 235 

the Hague, that unpleasantly affected them. It 
seems that, on arriving at the hotel, they found 
no soap on their washstands, and at once or- 
dered it. After the bills had been settled, and 
the whole party were seated in the carriage, 
Mrs. Sanborn occupying the back seat, and Wal- 
ter on the driver's seat, a servant came running 
out, and crying, — 

" Stop, stop ! " 

" Hold on ! " cried Mr. Tenant to that per- 
sonage, who had just started his horses. 

" Stop, stop ! " said the servant, out of 
breath. 

" What is the matter now ? " 

" You have not paid for the soap." 

" The soap ! What soap ? " 

" The soap was not put in the bill, sir," said 
the servant in broken English. 

" What soap ? " 

" The soap you washed your hands with." 

" 0, ah ! How much is it ? " 

" Four cakes — four francs." 

" But we did not use it." 

" You washed with it once." 

" Well — eighty cents for soap to wash our 
faces with two or three times." 

" They charge that at all hotels in this country." 

" Do they ? Then it is extortion." 



236 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

»o^oc 

" Gentlemen should not order it." 

"Here is your money/' said Mr. Tenant, 
counting out four francs. 

In the mean time, Walter had gone into the 
hotel, and returned bearing the four cakes of 
soap. 

" They are ours," he said — " we have paid 
for them." 

" Ye-ye-s," said the servant, with a lugubrious 
grin ; and the carriage drove away. 

" I don't know about the propriety of your 
course, Walter," said his father. 

" Why not, pa ? We buy the soap, and pay 
for it double the charge made at the stores. 
It is ours most certainly." 

" Perhaps it is." 

" Now, the candles we paid for at Brussels we 
have used ever since, and I have estimated that 
we have already saved seven dollars on lights, 
and they are not half gone." 

"Walter is right, friend Percy," said Mr. 
Tenant. " We pay for the articles fully, and 
we have as much right to take them with us 
as we should have to take a half dozen oranges 
that we had ordered to our rooms, and paid 
for." 

" But I do not wish my son to fall into penu- 
rious habits." 



MEMENTOS OF THE PILGRIMS. 237 

u It is not an evidence of penuriousness to be 
economical. True economy would lead Walter 
to do as he has done, and then he has saved 
something to be charitable elsewhere." 

" Why, father," said the boy, " if we should 
allow these people to take advantage of us on 
every occasion, your purse would not be long 
enough to get us all home again." 

" Yes ; but I must think this matter over 
before you repeat the process. I want you to 
be prudent and economical, but I also want you 
to be perfectly upright and frank in your deal- 
ings. I want you to grow up a generous as well 
as an economical man. But we will talk about 
it at another time." 

" And then you will confess," added Mr. Ten- 
ant, " that the boy is right, and your scruples are 
wrong." 

11 Perhaps so." 

They were soon at the depot, and on the way to 
Leyden, at which place they arrived that day at 
about the hour of noon. It has about forty thou- 
sand inhabitants, and is a very pleasant place. 

" What is the town noted for ? " asked one of 
the children of Mr. Tenant. 

" To all Americans it is associated, like Delft, 
•with imperishable memories of the Pilgrims." 

" Did they once live here ? " 



238 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" Yes ; and here the faithful pastor, John 
Robinson, preached to them those doctrines that 
they planted at length on the shores of Plym- 
outh Bay." 

" What else is it noted for ? " 

"There are some historical reminiscences of 
the place." 

" Please tell us, and we shall better remember 
our visit." 

" On one occasion, — to give you a single fact, 
— the town was besieged by the Spaniards, who 
called on the people to surrender. The mili- 
tary commandant of the place was John Van- 
derdoes, and he sent word to the Spaniards that 
he would defend the town at all hazards ; and 
when their provisions were gone, his soldiers 
would eat their left hands, reserving the right 
to fight with." 

" Noble answer ! " 

" The town held out four months, and for half 
of that time bread was not seen. At length the 
people came to the burgomaster, and urged him 
to give up." 

" Did he do it ? " 

" No. He said to them, ' Here is my body ; 
tear that to pieces, and eat it, but do not ask me 
to surrender.' " 

" Three cheers for him ! " shouted Minnie. 



MEMENTOS OF THE PILGRIMS, 239 

"How did it turn out ? " asked Walter. 

" A storm came and drove in the waters upon 
the Spaniards, and drowned so many of them, 
that the rest were conquered. Help also ar- 
rived, provisions came, and the people were 
saved." 

While our friends were in Ley den, they vis- 
ited the ancient university, the museums, and 
other objects of interest. The children noticed 
that the place was all surrounded by windmills, 
and Walter made a note of it in his journal, as 
the " windmill town." 

" Pa, you seem to be very thoughtful," said 
Minnie, as Mr. Percy sat looking out of the 
windows of the hotel, in the latter part of the 
day. 

11 1 was thinking." 

"Of what?" 

" Of the Pilgrims." 

" 0, 1 don't care any thing about them." 

" What of the Pilgrims, pa ? " asked Walter. 

" I was thinking, that for twelve years they 
here found an asylum, and enjoyed the liberty 
of worship ; along these streets they walked, 
gazing on the same heavens ; and here they 
banded together to people an unknown conti- 
nent, and plant deep in the soil of the new 
world, the Protestant faith." 



240 



THE PERCY FAMILY. 



About the Pilgrims they conversed until the 
time arrived for them to take the cars for Am- 
sterdam, the next place on their route, where 
they soon were, having seen the wonders of 
Haarlem, among winch was the mammoth or- 
gan in the great Church of St. Buvon. Mr. 
Percy gave Walter many interesting facts con- 
cerning the history of that strange people, and 
also told him that the Percy family traced their 
way directly back to some of that noble band. 




^f^wmmim^^) 




THE CITY ON LEGS. 241 

»oXKoc 



Ohapteb XIY. 

THE CITY ON LEGS. 

" fWTY on legs," said Mr. Tenant, as they 

VJ approached Amsterdam. 

" Why do you call it so ? " asked Minnie. 

11 Because it is built on piles driven into the 
soft mud." 

" What, all the houses, and stores, and church- 
es, built on posts driven into the ground ? " 

" Almost all of them. The earth into which 
the piles are driven, and over which the city 
is built, is nothing but a bog; and the piles 
reach the hard soil below, or the building will 
not stand." 

" The number of piles must be enormous." 

" Yes, you may well judge so when I tell you 
that the royal palace, a large structure, rests 
upon over thirteen thousand, six hundred of 
them. How large, then, the number must be 
that support a city containing over two hundred 
thousand inhabitants ! " 

" Is the city all cut up by canals, as Rotter- 
dam was ? " 

vol. m. 16 



242 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" Yes, more so. The canals divide it into 
about one hundred islands ; and the canals are 
spanned by about three hundred bridges." 

" I should think the houses would tumble 
down sometimes, and that the streets would 
cave through." 

" They do. In 1822, an immense warehouse, 
containing seventy-five thousand hundred weight 
of corn, sunk down into the mud." 

" Are not the people afraid to live there ? " 

" They do not seem to be, though no heavy 
burdens are allowed to be carried along the 
streets for fear of the jar." 

" How do they get heavy burdens through the 
city — into and out of it ? " 

" By water, through canals." 

" How deep are the canals ? " 

" About ten feet." 

" How deep down do they drive the piles ? " 

"For the heavy buildings, they drive them 
down seventy or eighty feet." 

" Is the city built right on the sea ? " 

" No ; it lies at the confluence of the Amstel 
and the IJ." 

" The Eye, did you say ? " 

" It is pronounced Eye ; but the characters 
that represent it are IJ." 

" Are there carriages in the city ? " 



THE CITY ON LEGS. 243 

" 0, yes ; and omnibuses, I am told." 

They reached the city, and found a hotel, and 
were soon about wondering at the curious city 
and the curious people. 

" What is there to see here, father ? " asked 
Walter. 

" There is not much in-door work to do, I 
believe. The palaces and galleries of art need 
not occupy much time. What we want to see 
most, is the structure of the city, the cus- 
toms of the people, the ways and modes of 
life." 

" I would like to go into some of these boats 
on the canals," remarked Mr. Tenant. " I un- 
derstand the people live in them." 

"Yes, pa, let us go into them," cried both of 
the children at once. 

So when they came to some large boats on 
the canals, they went on board, where they 
found the family, with their dog, hog, and hens, 
living as comfortably as persons could under the 
circumstances. The Dutch are a very neat peo- 
ple, and some of the apartments on board the 
boats were as tidy as the rooms in the houses 
on the land, and not a few of the industrious 
women had flowers growing, and other evidences 
of taste observable. Walter tried to talk with 
some of th<* people, but he was not able to sue- 



244 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

o-o>@<cx> 

ceed much, and Minnie laughed at him for the 
uncouth sounds he made. 

Leaving the boats, they walked through some 
of the principal streets, the children asking ques- 
tions all the way along. 

" Where do the people get water, father ? " 

"Water, water!" interrupted Minnie. "I 
shouldn't think you would ask such a question 
as that." 

" Why not ask such a question ? " 

" There is water enough — too much of it. 
The whole city is cut up with canals, and I 
should sooner think you would ask where they 
get dry land to walk on." 

" Yes, there is water enough, I see — water 
to float canal boats on, to extinguish fires, and 
wash clothes with ; but where is the water to 
drink ? " 

" Ah, I was not thinking of that ; but I sup- 
pose they have wells." 

" You do ? " 

" Yes, Master Walter, I do." 

" Well, that shows just as much as you know 
about it." 

" Know about it ! How you talk ! Don't 
they get water here the same as they do every 
where else ? " 

" Not exactly, sis." 



THE CITY ON LEGS. 245 

"Why not?" 

" Because in such a soil it must be difficult, if 
not impossible, to get it. The water cannot be 
good for any thing at all here." 

" Well, how do they get it ? " 

" Ah, that is just the question I asked fa- 
ther, when you put your oar into the long-boat 
of our conversation, and interrupted the an- 
swer." 

" I'll not say any more, if father will tell us." 

" The water," said Mr. Percy, on being ap- 
pealed to, " is brought from Dunes." 

" Where is that ? " 

" A place near Haarlem." 

" How is it brought in ? " 

" By piles laid through the principal streets, 
by a company of British capitalists." 

" How long since it was first brought in ? " 

" I do not know — certainly not many years." 

" What did they have previously ? Did they 
drink this filthy canal water ? " 

" No ; the water was brought in boats from 
the River "Vecht." 

" How far ? " 

" Twelve miles." 

" What kind of boats did they bring it in ? " 

" A large, heavy barge, called legger" 

" But how did the people get it ? " 



246 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" They went and bought it, just as you would 
go and buy milk." 

" Singular ! " 

" Yes ; when the legger arrived, a pump was 
set in the deck, and the people came until the 
dirty hold was pumped dry." 

" Was it expensive ? " 

"Yes, very expensive, especially so in the 
winter, when the canals were frozen. The 
price at such seasons was often exorbitant." 

" I should not like to live in such a country." 

" Nor should I." 

A peculiar kind of costume worn by a woman 
attracted Minnie's attention, as she pointed 
out two persons, a man and a woman, in the 
street. 

" These people dress very much as the Pil- 
grims did nearly two centuries and a half ago," 
said Mr. Percy, in reply to a remark of his 
daughter. 

"How did the Pilgrims dress?" 

" In a singular costume. These persons are 
doubtless from the country, where the habits, 
customs, and dress of the people are less affected 
by strangers." 

On the next page this costume is seen. 

" What do strangers have to do with the dress 
of the Dutch?" 




PILGRIM COSTUMB 



THE CITY ON LEGS. 249 

»0>fc<0o 

" Very much. The English and French come 
here, and give their tastes to the people, and 
the fashions of those visitors are followed in the 
large cities, while out in the country, the habits 
and customs change less, and are more primi- 
tive." 

A long conversation ensued on the costumes 
of different nations, some of the statements in 
which the children could hardly credit. 

In the Oude Kerk (old church) they saw the 
fine organ, which, in the opinion of the Dutch, 
rivals any other in the world ; and as they looked 
at it, and listened, Walter noted all the particu- 
lars in his little book. 

" How many stops has it ? " he asked. 

" Sixty-eight, and three rows of keys." 

" Is this as large as the organ we saw at 
Haarlem ? " 

" Not quite as large, but said to be as fine 
toned." 

" How many stops has that ? " 

" Sixty stops, and five thousand pipes." 

" Is that the largest ? " 

" No ; the organ at Birmingham is larger, and 
more full. One at Friburg is also of greater 
capacity." 

" Friburg ? " queried Minnie. 

" Yes, Friburg, in Switzerland. 



yy 



250 THE PERCY FAMILf. 

11 1 should think, by this church, that the peo- 
ple here might be very rich." 

" They are very rich. Immense wealth is 
treasured here by these grave, pipe-smoking 
Dutchmen." 

" Are there any Jews here ? " 

" Yes, one tenth of the whole population are 
Jews." 

" Are they rich ? " 

" They are said to be." 

" Father, is there any thing besides what we 
have seen, that Amsterdam is famous for ? ' : 

" It is a city noted for its benevolent institu- 
tions, its schools of art, and the perfection of 
Dutch life. Any one who would get an idea 
of Dutch customs could do so here." 

" I was told," said Walter, " before coming 
here, to go and see the Rasp-house. What is 
that ? " 

"It is nothing now but a sort of police 
station." 

" What was it formerly ? It must have been 
something, for Mr. Lingard, who was here some 
years ago, told me not to fail to go there." 

" There is a building known as the Rasp- 
house, I believe. Some years ago it was used 
to imprison small offenders, but its character 
is changed." 



THE CITY ON LEGS. 251 

" Why call it the < Rasp-house ' ? " 

" Because the prisoners were employed rasp- 
ing logwood." 

" There must have been something else, or he 
would not have been so particular to have me 
go there." 

"I do not know ; perhaps Mr. Tenant can 
tell." 

"Mr. Tenant," said Walter to that gentle- 
man, who was walking on ahead with Minnie, 
" can you tell me what the Rasp-house was 
noted for ? " 

" When a prisoner was confined, he was set to 
rasping logwood." 

" Yes, so father says." 

" And if he was ugly, and would not rasp, he 
was put into a cell, and the water let in upon 
him, and he was forced to pump to keep from 
drowning." 

" That is a curious punishment." 

" It was less as a punishment than to make 
him work." 

" I guess there could be no trouble about his 
working under those circumstances." 

" No, indeed." 

While the party were in Holland, they visited 
all the noted places ; went into the boats on the 
canals, and enjoyed themselves very much. The 



252 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

»o^oo 

children enjoyed it all, because every thing was 
so new, strange, and unlike any thing they had 
seen in England, France, or Belgium. 

Walter had an adventure while in Amsterdam, 
that caused Minnie to laugh at him. It seems 
that one afternoon he asked permission to go 
out and make some little purchases, and was 
allowed to do so, on his declaration that he 
knew the city so well that he could find his way 
about. He went out into one store, and then 
into another, until he had lost his reckoning ; 
and, on turning to go to the hotel, he took the 
wrong street, and was soon in a portion of the 
city with which he was entirely unfamiliar. He 
tried to find a store where Trench was spoken, 
but could not. He asked several men the way 
to the hotel, but could not make them compre- 
hend what he wanted. The women laughed at 
him, the children gathered around him, and the 
men seemed to his excited mind to be of a very 
desperate kind, and he was very much fright- 
ened. 

In the mean while, the party at the hotel had 
become somewhat alarmed at his prolonged ab- 
sence. One, two, three hours passed away, and 
he did not come ; and leaving Minnie in the 
care of Mrs. Sanborn, the three gentlemen went 
out iu different directions, agreeing to return in 



THE CITY ON LEGS. 253 

half an hour and report. At the expiration of 
the time, they all met at the hotel, but no Wal- 
ter was to be found. Mr. Percy then went to the 
landlord and procured the assistance of seven 
or eight trusty servants, all of whom had seen 
"Walter, and would know him again. Just as 
these servants were about to start out, Walter, 
pale and tired, came running in, much to the 
relief of his father and sister. 

" Where have you been, Walter ? " asked the 
former. 

" I got lost." 

" Lost ? " 

" Yes, sir. I turned into the wrong street, 
and every turn made it worse. I was sure to 
come out nowhere." 

" You should not have gone so far." 

" I couldn't help it. I wanted to find my 
way back, but the more I tried the more I was 
lost." 

" How did you succeed in finding the way ? " 

" You know, father, the two volumes of trav- 
els you bought me just before we left home." 

"Yes." 

" They were Column's Familiar Letters ; and 
in one of them I read that he was once lost in a 
Dutch city — in Haarlem." 

" Well, how did that help you ? " 



254 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" You shall hear." 

" Well, talk on." 

" He wanted to get to Leyden that night. His 
friends and luggage were there, and he had only- 
come down to hear the great organ. In travel- 
ling about he lost the way, and did not know 
how to get to the cars. He tried English, but 
in vain. He used French with no more success. 
He attempted German and Italian, of which he 
knew a little, but all to no purpose. The men 
laughed, the women pitied him, and the children 
thought they had found a crazy man. Some 
thought he was begging cold victuals, and some 
took him for a drunken man." 

" How did he get out of it ? " 

« I'll tell you." 

" I do not see that his dilemma could help 
you much, only on the principle that misery 
loves company," said Mr. Percy, laughing. 

" You will see that it did. At length, he 
recollected seeing over the railway station the 
word Spoorweg, which, he thought, might be 
the Dutch for railroad station; so he began to 
shout, ' Spoorweg ! Spoorweg ! ' and, to his de- 
light, found that, by crying it all along, he was 
enabled to arrive in season to take the cars for 
Leyden ; and he declared, that he should bless 
the word ' Spoorweg' all his life." 



THE CITY ON LEGS 

oo>o=:oc 



255 



" Well, what did you do ? How did you 
profit by that ? " 

I shouted ' Spoorweg ! ' " 
You did. What good did that do ? " 
" It helped me out of my plight. Had it not 
been for ' spoorweg,' I might have been two miles 
from here now." 



a 



u 




THE DUTCHMAN FISHING, 



256 THE PERCY FAMILY. 

" But I don't understand." 

" Why, you see I know the way from the sta- 
tion to the hotel, and by being directed to the 
station, I found my way to you." 

" Very good ; but you must not venture so 
far away from us again, in these strange cities. 
You may get into trouble from which you can- 
not so easily extricate yourself." 

"I don't fear it." 

" Perhaps you do not fear it ; but you are 
young, rash, and venturesome, and must be 
careful, or you will have trouble." 

" Well, father, I'll try to keep out of trouble." 

That night they packed their carpet bags, 
preparatory to starting away from the country 
of windmills and canals. A Dutchman who one 
day sat fishing from his own kitchen door, told 
Walter that in that little countrv there were 
about ten thousand windmills, and that it costs 
annually millions of dollars to keep them turn- 
ing ; and they visited one large windmill, with 
sails one hundred feet long, situated just outside 
of the city on legs, as Walter termed Amsterdam 
in his journal. 



